Congress Gives Final Approval To Investments In Agriculture Research In North Dakota

Bill expands role of GF Nutrition Center, supports other research to help farmers and ranchers

October 9, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- The United States Congress has given final approval to an appropriations bill that includes investments secured by U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy in North Dakota’s agriculture research industry. These critical agriculture and nutrition research projects will give a boost to the state’s economy and help develop new ways for family farmers and ranchers to fight pests and address other problems.

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“This bill is a big boost for research in North Dakota, and the work that is done will help support the family farmers and ranchers that make up our state’s agriculture industry,” the delegation said in a joint statement. “We’re proud we could help secure these investments to move North Dakota’s economy forward.”

The Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill now goes to the President’s desk for signature. A full list of North Dakota projects in the bill is below.

Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
$10,534,000
The Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center will use this funding, which represents a $1 million increase over the Center’s current budget, to continue its research into the roles of food and dietary prevention of chronic disease, as well as expand its participation in the President’s obesity prevention initiative. The funding was included in the President’s budget request. The Grand Forks center is one of only six Agricultural Research Service centers focused on nutrition, and the only one that is located in rural America.

Durum Wheat Quality Program
$3 million
This funding for the temporary Durum Wheat Quality Program will help address the scab problem in durum wheat by offsetting part of the cost of a fungicide application until genetic scab resistance is found. The scab problem has led to a rapid decline in durum production in the United States. North Dakota has the nation’s highest durum milling capacity of over 85,000 bushels per day and is home to several pasta plants.

Renewable Energy and Products Research, NDSU
$1 million
This funding will be used by North Dakota State University to continue its research on test plots at six North Dakota sites to determine which perennial biomass crops grow best at each location using various harvesting, storage and conversion techniques. The project will help position North Dakota to become a major provider and player in the growing biofuels and renewable energy industries.

Agrosecurity: Disease Surveillance and Public Health, NDSU and DSU
$700,000
This funding will be used by North Dakota State University and Dickinson State University to enhance the region’s capability to quickly diagnose and respond to a potential disease outbreak in the U.S. agricultural food chain. The agrosecurity project focuses on animal health and disease models, disease diagnostics, and the ability to control the impact of a disease outbreak through animal identification, trace-back and rapid response.

Bioenergy Feedstock Research, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan
$543,000
This action restores funding at the Mandan laboratory to continue biomass feedstock research aimed at sustaining farm operations through the production of biomass as feedstock for bio-based energy production. In addition, the Southwest Feeders program will continue its work with ranchers to develop feed management practices using locally produced feed to prepare livestock for market.

Cool Season Legume Research
$350,000
This funding will be used to support ongoing research in North Dakota and four other states to improve plant genetics, crop management and new end uses for peas, lentils and chickpeas. Past advancements in root diseases, new plant varieties, and nutrition has helped expand pulse crop acreage across the United States. North Dakota ranks first in the nation in the production of lentils and dry edible peas.

Blackbird Management, North and South Dakota
$265,000
This funding will be used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop new techniques and refine current methods, including cattail management, to reduce blackbird damage on sunflowers. Blackbird damage costs sunflower growers in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota about $40 million annually.

Facilities Study, Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center
This action requires USDA to conduct a facility needs report at the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo to determine if repairs, improvements or expansion are necessary for the center to continue its important agricultural research mission.

Source: Senator Byron Dorgan