Ag. college to receive $16M cut in research
Feb. 23, 2007
The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources will lose roughly $16 million in federal grants, which adds to MU's perilous government funding situation in recent years.
The money included earmarks that were a part of the college's research budget this year. Earmarks, which provide funding to specific areas, are add-ons to bills.
President George Bush signed the law to eliminate $186 million in national earmarks, which many colleges relied on for research funding in past years.
Funding for research projects at the college make up 9 percent of the $186 million in earmarks cut.
"It's going to be devastating to the programs down here," Delta Research Center Superintendent Jake Fischer said.
The Delta Research Center, located in Southern Missouri, works with the MU extension program and conducts research for the university.
Fischer said the center focuses on crop production, including rice, potato and cotton research.
He said the funding cuts would definitely hurt MU and its research capabilities.
"It's going to set us back," Fischer said. "Research work takes many years and now it's like starting over at the beginning."
The cut represents 29 percent of the college's research budget and could result in multiple job cuts.
"If you don't have the money to pay folks, it certainly would (cut jobs) in the future," Fischer said.
John Sadler, an MU researcher who handles Agricultural Research Service funds, said it is too early to determine whether jobs would be cut.
"I can't comment much on it yet," Sadler said. "Right now I'd just be speculating."
There is temporary relief for the funds cut, but only for fiscal year 2007.
Four million dollars of reallocated money will be distributed to the college this year.
CAFNR Dean Thomas Payne was unavailable for comment on Thursday.
Fischer said the Delta Research Center has an advisory board that pushes state legislators to get more funding to make up for the cuts.
House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said he'd have to look at the issue in more detail because it's a federal issue, but he would work with the university to help solve the problem.
"Obviously I support increased funding for the University of Missouri," Harris said.
MU is one of 58 land-grant colleges in the nation, and only one of several affected by the bill.
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