Kohl Includes Funding For Wisconsin Agriculture Projects in FY2008 Federal Budget

Thursday, December 27, 2007 11:34 AM CST

U.S. Senator Herb Kohl announced recently that the FY2008 federal budget includes funding for a range of Wisconsin agricultural research, management and conservation projects. Kohl is the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and identified these projects as priorities for funding. The FY08 Agriculture Appropriations section of the budget provides over $90 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a host of agriculture, nutrition and food safety programs.

“Wisconsin’s agriculture industry drives our state’s economy and strengthens our rural communities. Wisconsin is home to some of the most forward-thinking initiatives in the country to keep our farms competitive by tapping into emerging technologies and markets. The work being done in our state has earned this federal funding,” Kohl said.

The bill emphasizes a number of national priorities by providing increased funds to improve food safety, combat invasive species like Emerald Ash Borer and fight diseases like viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) - an aquatic disease recently discovered in Lake Michigan. The measure also restores funding for WIC and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides food assistance for seniors.

Kohl secured funding to protect natural resources in Wisconsin and across the nation:

- $31 million to fight the Emerald Ash Borer n The Forest Service estimates that if the Emerald Ash Borer is not contained and eradicated, state and local governments may have to spend about $7 billion over the next 25 years for tree removal and replacement.

- $873,840 for Conservation Technology Transfer, UW-Extension and UW-Platteville - These resources will be used to perform research, demonstration and education activities on working farms that help land managers adopt more effective conservation practices which manage nutrients and prevent runoff.

- $2,581,800 for National Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) - ATTRA provides valuable educational material and resources for producers of organic and sustainable products.

- $251,229 for Driftless Area Initiative - The Driftless Area is comprised of geologically challenging terrain in southwestern Wisconsin and Southeastern Minnesota which has greater risk for erosion. These resources will help local RC&D organizations and non-profit collaborators promote conservation, stewardship and economic development which are compatible with local conditions.

- $429,969 for Cranberry Conservation - These funds will support research and demonstration aimed at helping cranberry growers improve water conservation and management and minimize water contamination.

Kohl also announced several provisions to nurture the dairy industry:

- $1,861,875 for Specialty Cheese Markets - These resources will be used for the continuation of a program at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to foster the development, growth, and efficiency of a robust specialty cheese industry in Wisconsin.

- $681,198 for Wisconsin Grazing Initiative n These funds will be utilized by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to help Wisconsin producers wishing to switch to a grazing system. Funds will be directed to competitively selected projects and focus on educational and on-farm monitoring and research, and direct technical assistance on grazing plans.

- $2,502,360 for Agriculture Research Service, Prairie du Sac - These resources will be used to develop plans and specifications for the next installment of ARS Dairy Forage Research Center in Prairie du Sac. The research conducted by this unit of ARS is aimed at improving the efficiency and environmental impact of dairy farming in the United States.

- $178,740 for the Environmental Compliance Cooperative Agreement - These resources will be used for a collaborative project with the Dairy Business Association of Wisconsin to develop a centralized resource that will help producers comply with local, state and national environmental and land planning requirements.

- $1,191,600 for Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute - FAPRI provides valuable, nationwide economic data and modeling services for decisions makers relating to agricultural policy.

Among the provisions designed to help Wisconsin agriculture and farm communities, the bill includes:

- $297,900 for Pesticide Reduction - These resources will be used to help potato and other vegetable producers develop crops and cropping practices that minimize the use of pesticides.

- $744,750 for Nutrition Enhancement, School Breakfast Program - Wisconsin has historically had low school breakfast participation rates. These funds will be used by UW-Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Public Institutions to provide grants and educational material for local schools wishing to initiate and expand school breakfast.

- $86,391 for the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association Internship Program - These resources will support an internship program operated by the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association to give college students embarking on natural resource careers real world experience in natural resource management.

- $1,474,605 for the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium - The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, though the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, leads the nation in developing a workable approach for premise registration, a critical element of livestock identification and tracking. These resources will allow that work to continue.

- $346,557 for Urban Horticulture - These funds will support education and training in urban horticulture though development of community gardens in collaboration with UW Extension and Growing Power, a non-profit organization in Milwaukee.

- $851,994 for the Sand County Foundation - The Sand County Foundation is a non-profit corporation which will use these funds, as part of a demonstration and analysis program, to provide incentives for farmers to improve nitrogen management as a means of protecting water resources and addressing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

- $2,475,000 for the Congressional Hunger Center n The Congressional Hunger Center is a bi-partisan, non-profit organization which serves as a clearing house for information in the fight against hunger and poverty, both domestically and internationally. Funds will be used for training, a fellow program, workshops and the annual “Victory Against Hunger” awards program which recognizes hunger relief work in states and local areas.

Kohl also announced provisions to boost agriculture research and disease eradication:

- $926,469 to combat Johnes Disease in Wisconsin - Johnes disease can dramatically reduce dairy productivity. These funds will be used by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to support vaccination, testing, construction of physical barriers, veterinary certification and related laboratory work associated with Johnes disease.

- $1,289,907 for CWD Surveillance, Prevention and Mitigation - These resources will support the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s work to address chronic wasting disease in farm-raised deer. These funds will help pay for testing, fencing, depopulation, and tracking.

- $895,686 for the ARS Cereal Crop Research Unit - Located in Madison, the ARS Cereal Crop Research Unit conducts basic research to understand the biological processes affecting the growth, development, and properties of barley, oats and rice.

FY08 federal budget has been approved by both chambers of Congress and now goes to the President to be signed into law. The project amounts reflect a 0.7 percent across-the-board Administration cut in funding.

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