September 15, 2004
Washington, DC – U.S.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced
that Oregon should receive substantial funds and share in millions
of additional dollars for agricultural projects under the Senate’s
agriculture appropriations legislation. Much of the funding will
support research at Oregon State University, known as a regional
leader in the study of agriculture. The Senate Appropriations
Committee approved the bill this week; it now moves to the full
Senate for consideration.
“These funds will support
both the hard work of farmers and key research to help Oregon’s
agricultural industry grow,” said Wyden. “Oregonians
depend on a successful agricultural industry for economic growth
in both rural and urban areas, and for the preservation of our
environment.”
“The continuation of research
efforts is necessary for Oregon to maintain its position as one
of the world’s leading producers of agricultural products,”
said Smith. “The projects funded by this bill will help
keep our farm economy on the cutting edge of agricultural innovation
and production.”
The Appropriations Committee
endorsed several key rural development projects in Oregon, including
the Union and Wallowa Counties rail line, the Tillamook County
log waste and pellet mill, Santiam County economic development,
the Gilliam County Wheat Quality Initiative and the Rural Utility
Corridor.
As a result of Wyden and Smith’s
efforts, the Committee also ensured continued funding for the
shellfish, viticulture, hops research, and small fruits research
programs at OSU, as well as research on western grazing lands
in Burns, Oregon and the IR-4 Minor Use Pesticides program.
The committee allocated additional
funding for the following projects:
• The Northwest Center
for Small Fruits Research will receive $400,000 to be shared among
Oregon, Idaho and Washington for basic research.
• Oregon, Idaho and Washington
will share $407,000 for research to identify improved grass seed
crop management and conservation practices.
• Oregon State University
in Corvallis will receive $355,000 for multi-commodity agricultural
marketing research.
• OSU will also receive
$351,000 for research at the National Laboratory for Molluscan
Broodstock in Newport.
• OSU will share in a $6.5 million
multi-state appropriation for wood utilization research.
• OSU’s Solutions
to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP) III project will
receive $625,000.
• OSU’s meadowfoam
research project, an effort to increase the supply of renewable
industrial oils, will receive $262,000.
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