02/28/05 Federal funds and the fruit industry, Pt1

President Bush's proposed fiscal year 2006 budget has drawn the attention of ag groups for its proposed reductions in a variety of programs. And that includes proposed cuts in what is called "formula funds" used to determine funding for agricultural research at land grant universities and colleges. For the Northwest tree fruit industry, that could mean reductions for basic infrastructure, whether it is faculty and or projects, at tree fruit research facilities operated by Washington State University and Oregon State University. James Cook is the interim dean of W.S.U.'s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences. He says the proposed budget encourages more applications for competitive grants, which are fine for getting new ideas out for consideration. COOK: But then if you want to take that information and turn it into new varieties that farmers can grow, that's where the formula funds come in. And that's where state appropriations come in and that's where the growers own money comes in too, just like the tree fruit industry funds research in Wenatchee. But they would not want to fund it all. And that's where the federal part is so important again to give a real partnership. Take that away, and it is not just the partnership itself that is in peril, it is the possibility of state matching funds going away. The potential impact is discussed in our next program.