01/23/08 WSU officials make case for ag budget request in Olympia

Washington Ag January 23, 2008 Officials from Washington State University, including President Elston Floyd, went before the state Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Tuesday urging support for the university's supplemental budget request for agriculture. Floyd: "There is no doubt that agriculture and veterinary medicine must be our highest priorities as a university. We must do everything we can as an institution to realize the investment you have made in your state land grant research university. We believe that agriculture/veterinary medicine are the keys prosperity and success for our state." WSU is seeking 3.85 million dollars to confront what it says are two major pressing factors that threaten public health, the danger of disease transmission from animals to humans and both the safety and abundance of our food supply. Part of the request is for a School of Global Animal Health which school officials say would be unique in the world. WSU is also seeking 7.4 million in the capital budget for design of a new Veterinary Medical Research Building to replace the existing 55-year old facility. Representatives of agricultural groups from asparagus to wheat growers spoke in support of WSU's funding request, which was not included in Governor Gregoire's supplemental budget proposal. I'm Bob Hoff.