Cantwell Calls on Senate to Save Agricultural Research Funding
President eliminates critical program in his budget
WASHINGTON , D.C. – If cuts proposed by President Bush pass through congress, Washington State University (WSU) may have to close one or more of its nine agricultural research centers, that have been responsible for some of Washington state's biggest agricultural developments. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) is trying to save the $179 million in agriculture research funding, including $3.5 million for WSU.
Cantwell was in Prosser today touring one of the centers that could close if the president's budget gets approved by Congress. Flanked by local agricultural leaders and growers, Cantwell called on her fellow senators to reject a proposal by the president to eliminate funding for the Hatch Act, which has provided federal dollars for WSU's agricultural research efforts for over 100 years.
"Agriculture is the backbone of the economy and jobs in Washington state," Cantwell said. "This agricultural research helps the entire region's economy and keeps jobs where they should be – right here at home."
The president's budget calls for a 50 percent reduction in funding for the program in fiscal year 2006, and no funding at all for the program in fiscal year 2007.
Cantwell sent a letter today to the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to preserve the vital agriculture research funding program. According to WSU officials, the proposed cuts could result in the closure of one or more of its agriculture research centers located throughout the state, and significantly weaken the university's ability to compete for other private and public funding. About 100 faculty, staff, and graduate assistant positions would also have to be eliminated.
"I really appreciate Sen. Cantwell's efforts to educate her colleagues in the U.S. Senate about the importance of agriculture in Washington state," said Valoria Loveland, director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture. "The WSU Research Center in Prosser is critical to our efforts to support and maintain agriculture as a strong, healthy industry. Agriculture is this state's number one employer and we cannot afford to lose the kind of innovative programs and research that WSU provides."
WSU, a recognized global leader in conducting agricultural research, has received funding from the Hatch Act since 1890. The funding represents a partnership between states and the federal government to provide "base" research funding for agriculture research at America 's land-grant universities. Hatch funding is especially important in supporting projects where other competitive federal grants are unavailable, like for WSU's plant breeding program. In the past, this funding has led to the development of several varieties of raspberries, grapes, wheat, and potatoes.
One success story in particular is WSU's sweet cherry breeding program, which led to the development of the world famous White Rainier Cherry, now a major export to Asia.
Cantwell was joined today by WSU officials and representatives from the state's grape, cherry, and potato growers, all of whom support the senator's efforts. They toured the Prosser agricultural research center before proceeding to a greenhouse paid for with Hatch funding, where they discussed the importance of agricultural research for the state's economy.
The Prosser facility was home to WSU scientist Walter Clore, whose research identified regions of Washington state where grape cultivation and winemaking could flourish. Washington state is now the second largest producer of premium wines in the country, delivering $2.4 billion to the state's economy.
WSU's eight other agricultural research centers or units are located in Mount Vernon, Puyallup, Long Beach, Vancouver, Wenatchee, Colockum Creek, Lind, and Othello.
This year, the Department of Agriculture will disperse $179 million nationwide in Hatch Act funding, with about $3.5 million supporting WSU's research centers.
The text of Cantwell's letter follows below:
May 4, 2005
The Honorable Robert F. Bennett
Chairman
Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee
188 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Herb Kohl
Ranking Member
Agriculture Appropriation Subcommittee
188 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Bennett and Ranking Member Kohl:
As the Senate moves to consideration of Agriculture Appropriations for fiscal year 2006, I write to urge the Subcommittee to preserve funding for the Hatch program under the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
As you know, the Federal government has a long standing partnership with state governments and our nation's land-grant universities to provide assistance for the purpose of conducting agriculture research. This partnership, established under the Land Grant Acts of 1862, 1890 and 1994, represents a unique commitment to agriculture research by combining federal funding with state funding to support a diverse national network of agriculture research facilities at our land-grant universities. Without this federal commitment, many of the agriculture research programs at these institutions would be non-existent.
However, the President's budget request for fiscal year 2006 proposes reducing Hatch funding by 50 percent for fiscal year 2006 and eliminating funding in fiscal year 2007. I find this extremely troubling as the Hatch program provides essential "base funding" for thousands of agriculture projects at land-grant universities in all fifty states.
Hatch funding has been extremely important to the operation of Washington State University's (WSU) nine agriculture centers and the projects that are conducted at these sites. WSU has estimated that the President's proposed cuts to Hatch funding may ultimately result in the closure of one or more of these agriculture research centers located throughout Washington state. These centers conduct a wide range of research that is critical to supporting U.S. agriculture. This includes research to identify methods and technologies that enhance plant breeding and assist in identifying and developing varieties of crops that produce higher yields and maintain a greater resistance to disease.
The Virus-Free Rootstalk program maintained at WSU's Prosser facility is a specific example of this type of research and the importance it has on a global scale. This Virus-Free Rootstalk program is a national program for controlling virus diseases of temperate fruit tree crops. The research conducted by WSU scientists have led to the development of deciduous fruit tree clones that are free of detectable virus and other graft-transmissible pathogens. These elite clones are distributed, upon request, to researchers, regulatory agencies, and horticulture industries nationwide and around the world. This project also provides for the safe importation of foreign varieties, virus elimination and virus testing services to fruit tree researchers, state and federal regulatory agencies, and to various components of the deciduous fruit tree industry worldwide.
Critical research projects such as this demand a multi-year commitment; Hatch funding is a vital component of such projects, ensuring that they be funded through completion. The research conducted at WSU has helped to support Washington state's diverse agriculture economy for more than 100 years and continues to serve an increasingly important role in keeping Washington producers competitive in the expanding global economy while also helping to ensure the safety of our crops and domestic food supply.
I respectfully request that the Subcommittee maintain the commitment of the Hatch program to our nation's land-grant universities by allocating funding at no less than that which was enacted for fiscal year 2005. Our land-grant universities play a unique role in higher education in the U.S. and the research conducted through these institutions is imperative to ensuring the prosperity of our domestic agriculture economy and the safety of our food supply. I appreciate your personal attention to this important matter and look forward to working with members of the Subcommittee to support agriculture research and education.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
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