January 21, 2005
WSU organic research re-funded by Congress
Capital Press, by Cookson Beecher, Staff Writer
For the third year in a row, Congress has given a thumbs-up to funding for research on organic farming practices in Washington state.
The recently passed congressional budget includes a $362,000 appropriation for organic research at Washington State University through WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Over the past two years, Congress has appropriated $325,000 for organic research at WSU. This latest appropriation brings it to more than $700,000.
Bonnie Rice, director of the Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network, said the funding will allow WSU to respond to the growing demand for scientific information on organic farming techniques. That, in turn, can reduce reliance on pesticides and help growers get into higher-value markets.
Marilynn Lynn, co-owner of Rama Farms in Bridgeport, Wash., and president of Tilth Producers of Washington, described the recent allocation as “just amazing.”
“It shows how far the organics movement has come,” she said, referring to this third round of federal funding.
Lynn said that research directed at reduced pesticide use and higher-value markets will help agriculture across the board.
“This is sustainable research,” she said. “Organic research is just part of the goal of sustainable agriculture.
“Growers need research now that helps them to meet environmental regulations,” she said. “All growers can benefit from these research funds.”
Chris Feise, director of WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, also applauded the award, saying the federal funds will allow WSU to respond to growers’ needs with cutting-edge research and demonstrations of successful alternatives.
Rockport, Wash., organic grower Anne Schwartz, vice president of Tilth Producers of Washington, also said she is pleased about the research funding.
“Recent surveys have shown there is tremendous interest on the part of the research community to investigate biologically based pest control methods,” she said. “These funds will help us identify the ones that are most promising.”
A recent editorial in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer called the research funding—championed by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and other members of Congress from Washington state— “a smart investment.”
“But there’s certainly more that could be done with state support,” said the editorial, referring to an effort to win up to $4 million in new state support for WSU’s BIOAg initiative, a comprehensive approach to organic and biologically intensive agriculture.
Pointing out that WSU is putting “considerable budget emphasis” on research involving genetically modified crops, the newspaper’s editorial urged legislators to consider spurring organic work.
“Amid rapid changes for farmers, balancing between high-tech and traditional methods makes sense,” the editorial concluded.
Sustainable agriculture advocates are lobbying the state Legislature for $4 million for the 2005-07 biennium to get the BIOAg program off the ground.
Rice said BIOAg will encompass research, teaching and extension areas of WSU, including the first organic farming major at a higher education institution in the United States.
Extension is an important part of this, she said, because through extension, research results can go directly to the growers.
Lynn said she likes that idea. She recalled that in 1991 when she and her husband began their organic peach and nectarine orchard, the only place to go for organic research i nformation was Washington Tilth.
“WSU Extension would be an ideal partner,” she said. “There couldn’t be a better scenario for educating extension about sustainable farming practices.”
Rice said this latest federal funding demonstrates that Congress recognizes that there’s a growing demand for this sort of science-based information, especially for land-grant universities.
“We would like to see WSU follow the lead in recognizing this sort of program in its budget request,” she said.
Rice said the federal research funds are being used for such innovative projects as organic seed production, weed management in organic tree fruit and dryland wheat production, developing and testing new varieties for organic systems, testing alternatives to plastic mulch, and outreach and education.
A WSU board prioritizes which organic research projects should be done.
In addition to the Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network, support for the federal appropriation came from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, PCC Natural Markets, Tilth Producers of Washington, Small Planet Foods, Bejo Seeds and Bio-Oregon Inc.