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Senator Salazar announces $5.4M in funding for Colorado agriculture prioritiesColorado July 17, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2009. At the request of United States Senator Ken Salazar, the bill includes approximately $5.4 million for agriculture research and water conservation in Colorado. "Colorado is home to some of the best agricultural research institutions in the country," said Senator Salazar. "Our investments in agricultural research will enable our scientists to improve the safety of our food supply and develop innovative crop, water, and animal management practices that will boost the yields and profits of Colorado's farmers and ranchers. I am particularly proud of the efforts of researchers at Colorado State University and the Agriculture Research Station in Akron, and will work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure they have the resources needed to continue their important work on behalf of American agriculture. "At the same time, the bill provides much-needed assistance to our drought-stricken water users in the South Platte Basin, who, thanks to the funds provided, will be able to more accurately track their water usage and better comply with state water use limits. Accurate and measurable data will allow our farmers, ranchers and other water users to receive their fair water allocations and ensure that the state of Colorado meets its downstream water obligations. "Finally, the bill includes legislative language equivalent to The Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act, of which I am a co-sponsor, to prohibit the importation of livestock from Argentina until USDA can certify that Argentinian beef is free of foot and mouth disease, which continues to afflict cattle herds in Argentina and neighboring countries. This is essential to protecting our livestock herds, and I am pleased the committee took action to address this urgent issue."
Agricultural Research Priorities $1.968m for Akron Agricultural Research Station: The administration's proposed FY09 budget called for a drastic 40 percent cut in funding for Akron ARS. Senator Salazar successfully fought this cut and protected the current funding level of $1.968 million for FY09. With these funds, Akron ARS researchers will be able to continue research efforts focused on developing sustainable soil and crop management practices for the Central Great Plains region and identifying technologies that maximize the responsible use of the region's soil and water resources. $38,000 for Chronic Wasting Disease Research at the CO Department of Natural Resources: The Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service is an important source of funding for state-run programs aimed at combating chronic wasting disease, which has been identified as a national problem by wildlife and agricultural agencies. In spite of a concerted testing and surveillance effort, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has noted that CWD continues to spread in populations of wild deer and elk populations in new areas of the state. Funds will be used to help CO DNR to contain and respond to CWD in deer and elk herds.
The following Colorado State University research projects received funding: $1.5m for Ultraviolet-B Radiation Data Collection and Monitoring: This program, which is based at CSU, collaborates with agricultural researchers at six Land Grant Universities throughout the country to study the response of economically important crops such as corn, cotton, soybean, and sorghum to UV-B and other climate stressors. $655,000 for the National Beef Genetic Evaluation Consortium: The United States' beef cattle industry provides affordable, high quality red meat to American and international consumers and plays an important role in rural America's economy. Genetic evaluation enhances the global competitiveness of American producers and represents a wise investment of federal dollars. Specifically, the funds will be used for the consortium to research, produce, evaluate, and distribute beef cattle genetic information. $609,000 for the Program for Economically Important Infectious Animal Diseases: PEIIAD has been operating since 1998 and provides timely, multidisciplinary research focused entirely on animal diseases that threaten the U.S. food supply and/or cause economic losses for animal agriculture on a local, national and international scale. Funds will be used to research animal diseases such as avian influenza, BSE, CWD, vesicular stomatitis, brucellosis, scrapie, foot and mouth disease, and West Nile virus. $228,000 for Russian Wheat Aphid Resistance, Stress Tolerance and Quality Enhancement of Wheat Project: Funding will be used to research wheat-based cropping systems that are critical to the economic stability of the United States and Colorado by developing a wheat variety that is resistant to the Russian wheat aphid, which has caused direct losses of over $11 million annually to the Colorado and central Great Plains economies. CSU uses new technologies developed through this program to accelerate the identification of useful genes and to incorporate these genes into new varieties, which will enhance the yield and safety of our domestic wheat crop. The funds are used by CSU scientists, Colorado farmers, and farmers in other central Great Plains states.
Water Conservation $400,000 for federal cost-share for Central Colorado Water Conservancy District improvements in the South Platte River basin: The CCWCD seeks to fully implement water management system improvements in the South Platte River basin by installing totalizing flow meters as well as automated data loggers on 300 of 1500 district wells. Declining water availability, combined with increasing demand for water among competing interests--namely agricultural, municipal, industrial and environmental users--warrants implementation of this program to best manage available supplies. The FY09 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Date: 8/7/08 Advertisement
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