February 05, 2004
Congress Funds Organic Research at WSU
$225,000 Grant will Benefit Growers, Environment
BELLINGHAM—Congress has significantly increased its support for organic farming in Washington State with a $225,000 appropriation in its FY 04 budget for organic research at Washington State University through WSU's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash) championed the appropriation with the support of other members of the state's congressional delegation.
"Washington growers rely on WSU to provide research and information on the best production methods possible, as well as to help them access higher-value markets," said Bonnie Rice, Director of the Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network (WSFFN), a broad-based, statewide advocacy group for sustainable agriculture and family farms. "With these funds, WSU can respond to the growing demand for information on farming techniques that don't rely on pesticides."
Rice pointed out that the research will benefit conventional as well as organic farmers. "Growers need research now that will help them transition to safer, more environmentally-sound pest control alternatives," she said, referring to the recent ruling by a federal court judge in Seattle banning the use of 38 pesticides near salmon-bearing streams.
Washington State's organic industry is growing rapidly. The number of organic farms has doubled since 1995 to over 500 today with more than 33,000 acres certified organic or in transition to organic. In 2002, the value of the state's organic food industry was $200 million, and the demand continues to grow for more organic products. At a recent workshop sponsored by WSU and the Network on organic grain production in Spokane on January 30, several Pacific Northwest buyers of soft white wheat expressed strong interest in finding suppliers in the Northwest; currently they go as far away as the Midwest to purchase organic soft white wheat. Washington State is the largest producer of soft white wheat in the country but there is currently no acreage in transition to organic.
WSFFN has been working with WSU for the past two years to develop and fund the Biologically Intensive and Organic Agriculture program at the university (BIOAg). BIOAg is a comprehensive program on organic and biologically-based agriculture that will encompass research, teaching and extension areas of WSU. WSFFN met with several members of Washington's congressional delegation to build support for the program. The federal funds are being used for such innovative projects as organic seed production, weed management in organic tree fruit and dryland wheat production, cover cropping, and outreach and education. A key goal of WSFFN is a strong outreach and extension component to the BIOAg program.
Chris Feise, Director of WSU's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, applauded the award. "Washington state growers are working hard to transition away from using toxic pesticides and toward using sustainable, biologically-based methods. These federal funds will allow WSU to respond to growers' needs with cutting-edge research and demonstrations of successful alternatives. The ultimate goal of our research is to better enable farmers to compete for a share of the rapidly growing multi-billion organic food demand."
Goldie Caughlan, spokesperson for PCC Natural Markets, Washington's largest natural food stores with nearly 40,000 member households, called for the Washington state Legislature to provide significant funding for the BIOAg program. "These federal funds provide a good start so WSU can develop a program focused on biologically-based and organic production methods. We will continue to look to the state Legislature for full funding so WSU can provide the research that growers need on organic methods."
In addition to WSFFN and PCC Natural Markets, support for the federal appropriation came from Washington Tilth Producers, the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture, the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, Small Planet Foods, Bejo Seeds and Bio-Oregon, Inc.
CONTACT:
Bonnie Rice, Director, Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network
(360) 527-9426,
info~at~wsffn.org
Chris Feise, WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources
(206) 725-0106
Goldie Caughlan, PCC Natural Markets
(206) 547-1222