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Ag Research Facing Budget Cuts

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 February 2006, 00:00 CST

By Steve Tarter, Journal Star, Peoria, Ill.

Feb. 21--PEORIA -- The amount Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proposed for ag research in his recently proposed state budget has been called "woefully inadequate" by the chairman of the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research.

The governor proposed a $3.5 million budget for CFAR, although the group had requested $10 million.

"Illinois is literally running on empty. Our state needs to find a way to fund a viable research program with an eye towards the future," said CFAR Chairman Alan Puzey at council offices in Urbana.

Illinois ranks 21st among states in the amount of money spent on ag research, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the state's ranking is likely to fall further when more recent expenditures are totaled, said CFAR Executive Director Kraig Wagenecht.

"The CFAR board believes that $3.5 million is simply not adequate for the needs of our state," he said.

Wagenecht said the council understood the need for research cutbacks in recent years when the state faced a budgetary crisis. Annual funding for fiscal years 2000, 2001 and 2002 was $15 million before the cuts came, he said.

The cut in research funds means "practically every dollar goes to ongoing research," said Wagenecht. "There have been no significant new initiatives for the past three fiscal years." While conceding the importance of agricultural research, Illinois Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Chris Herbert said the governor had tough economic decisions to make.

"The state is still watching its budget. Do we fund child healthcare or CFAR? A lot of groups are feeling the pinch and would like to see more money," she said.

"Research goes on in Illinois -- funded by both federal government and the private sector. When the state's fiscal health gets better, CFAR is something we can take a look at it," said Herbert.

Wagenecht said Illinois is losing a competitive advantage with other Midwest states when it comes to ag research.

"Other states have been able to maintain their level of funding," he said. "As we look to the future, (Illinois) is not in a position to respond to a crisis as such as soybean rust or opportunistic initiatives such as the expanded use of biomass."

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Copyright (c) 2006, Journal Star, Peoria, Ill.

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Source: Journal Star

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