Wheat industry to Congress; Don't Cut Research Funding
Farm and Ranch February 11, 2011 More than 40 wheat growers, researchers, millers and bakers were in Washington D.C. earlier this week to urge members of Congress and the Obama Administration to protect federal investments in wheat research, which the wheat industry says returns $10 to the nation’s economy for every dollar spent. Funding for USDA programs including wheat research is under threat because of attempts to cut government expenditures. Wheat research is considered discretionary spending, the type most targeted for cuts by the House Budget Committee. House Republican leaders this week unveiled a plan that included a 246-million dollar, or ten percent, reduction in agricultural research. Jane DeMarchi, National Association of Wheat Growers Director of Government Affairs for Research and Technology, tells of one message that was delivered to lawmakers. DeMarchi: “And we assured the offices that we met with that the growers through their check off dollars are stepping up to the plate and are doing their part to support wheat research and we would like to see the federal government continue to play its part in maintaining funding for ARS and the competitive programs.” Dr. Brett Carver, a wheat breeder at Oklahoma State University was one of the researchers on the trip. Carver: “Right now I am actually quite hopeful that some of the funding for research is going to be maintained, but that is guarded optimism at best.” I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net.
