September 22, 2005

Wyden, Smith Secure FundsFor Oregon, OSU Agriculture Projects

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 its a changing industry and we need to fund the lab coats as well as the overalls.Oregons agriculture industry is a nationwide leader in scientific research and farming advances, and its also a bedrock of our states 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 parkSenators 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.