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Wyden, Smith Secure Funds
For Oregon, OSU Agriculture Projects
September 22, 2005
Washington, DC – Today, U.S.
Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith announced the U.S. Senate
has passed legislation providing agricultural projects in Oregon
with millions of dollars in federal funds. The Senate Agriculture
Appropriations Bill now enters into conference with the House
of Representatives.
“Farm operations are the
backbone of rural Oregon and research fuels their long-term prosperity,”
said Smith. “Oregon has a rich tradition of agricultural
production, but it’s a changing industry and we need to
fund the lab coats as well as the overalls.”
“Oregon’s agriculture
industry is a nationwide leader in scientific research and farming
advances, and it’s also a bedrock of our state’s economy,”
said Wyden. “The Federal funds in this bill will keep our
economy growing by boosting research efforts and benefiting ranchers
and farmers throughout the state.”
Oregon State University will receive
funding for numerous projects, including:
• $443,000 for the Northwest
Center for Small Fruits Research, to be shared among Oregon, Idaho
and Washington. In addition, the Center will receive $3.98 million
for a genetics research initiative;
• $200,000 for invasive species
research;
• $365,000 at the National
Laboratory for Molluscan Broodstock in Newport;
• $640,000 for the Solutions
to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP) III project;
• $260,000 for the meadowfoam
research project, an effort to increase the supply of renewable
industrial oils;
• $353,000 for multi-commodity
research;
• $300,000 for sage grouse
research conducted at Burns;
• $450,000 to be shared among
Oregon, Idaho and Washington for research to identify improved
grass seed crop management and conservation practices.
• OSU will also share in a
$6,235,000 million multi-state appropriation for wood utilization
research;
• Continued funding for the
Agricultural Research Service for programs on Floriculture and
Nursery Research; and Eastern Filbert Blight;
Oregon will share in $682,000 of
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
funds for Barley Genome Mapping and $1.497 million for potato
research. Klamath and Lake Counties will receive $350,000 from
the Natural Resources Conservation Service for development of
a geothermal agricultural industrial park
Senators Smith and Wyden also won
passage of an amendment allowing the Klamath County Economic Development
Corporation to use $599,000 for an economic development loan fund.
Without the amendment, the funds would have been recalled to the
federal government.
The legislation continues funding
for numerous existing projects including a shellfish research
project, a hops genetic research project, National Germplasm Research
project, viticulture research.
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