05/20/08 WSU and the Farm Bill

Washington Ag May 20, 2008 The new farm bill Congress is expected to enact by overriding a presidential veto later this week, has several items of agricultural interest in it for Washington State University. Dr. Ralph Cavalieri, associate Dean and Director of WSU's Agricultural Research Center, says one is the Research Title and specialty crops. Cavalieri: "Which most of the crops in Washington fall into that category and it is going to be great to have access to some research funds to do the job we need to do with all of our horticulture crops and other crops that fall into that category." Cavalieri says there is also money for research in the Energy Title, which would be useful in helping the agricultural industry develop biomass crops for the biofuels industry. Scientists will have to compete for the energy and specialty crop research dollars. The farm bill also creates the National Clean Plant Network. Cavalieri: "WSU in particular, at our Prosser Research and Extension Center, is the national location of a program that develops virus free tree fruit materials, which then make their way out into the nursery structure. It is the only place in the country and this new source of funding is very important. It is also going to deal with grape vines." Cavalieri says Senator Patty Murray did a fabulous job leading to the development of Clean Plant Network. I'm Bob Hoff.