05/22/08 Assurances given on funding for ARS soils unit in Pullman

Washington Ag May 22, 2008 When the Bush Administration issued its fiscal 2009 budget proposal earlier this year there was no funding included for the Agricultural Research Service's Land Management and Water Conservation Unit at Pullman. Washington Association of Wheat Growers President Randy Uhrich says they have been given assurances that ARS unit will get funded by Congress. Uhrich: "We've talked to the ARS and we've talked to our congressional delegation and they assure us that it will be on the appropriations and we will get that through. There are some mechanics that sometimes it falls off, but it is always put on and there is pretty good assurance that we will get that funding." Uhrich says the fact that Senator Patty Murray is on the Senate Appropriations Committee helps a lot. The ARS Land Management and Water Conservation Unit's six scientists currently conduct research on global climate change and agricultural mitigation strategies, biofuels and alternative crops, air quality, organic farming, soil and water erosion and precision farming. Washington Senator Maria Cantwell says the farm bill Congress has passed includes doubling of research dollars for cellulosic ethanol and a new temporary production credit for up to $1.01 per gallon for cellulosic biofuels. I'm Bob Hoff.