Source: Debby Wechsler, NC Strawberry Association, March 25
The assault on our research stations and cooperative extension continues. It has now reached a critical stage. If you value research and extension support you need to speak up now. Much is at stake and agriculture is still the heart of the economic engine in this state. Early this week (March 28-31) will be a tipping point. Hand written notes and phone calls are the most effective means of getting your message across.
Some KEY POINTS You Can Use
The CES budget is only 0.23% of the General Fund. The Research Budget is 0.30% of the General Fund. Combining these two with NCDA CS (0.31%) and NCA&TSU, the primary research, extension, marketing and development organizations supporting agriculture are only 1% of the General Fund. Agriculture is the #1 industry at $74.3B and more than 688,000 jobs in the state. This data clearly shows a very frugal, effective and efficient system of support for such a significant and important industry in our state.
4-H is one of the Nation’s premier youth development programs. Compared to their peers, youth engaged in 4-H: stay in school longer, have higher graduation rates, have higher college attendance and graduation, smoke less, have significantly lower rates of criminal conduct and arrests, and are more involved in their communities. In 2010 NC 219,000 youth and 22,000 volunteers participated in 4-H. Youth in 4-H makes a significant difference.
1. Budget cuts will be devastating to Research and Extension. Higher Education Budget will be considered next week. This is where the College's Agricultural Programs which include the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) budgets, reside. Conversations for cuts are now in the range of 25 - 30%. For CES a 30% reduction is over $13M which would require the closing of 300 - 400 positions. Similar cuts face research. Needless to say this would be devastating to our abilities to meet the current and future needs of our citizens. In 2010 CES reported over 5.8 million contacts. proposal to conduct another evaluation of the 12 research stations owned by NCDA&CS, the 6 research stations and 8 field laboratories owned by NCSU and the research farm at NC A&T. This proposal also includes a provision to study potential reorganization of cooperative extension based on models in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Virginia. Nebraska and Wyoming are not major extension states and the proposed restructuring in Virginia has been shelved due to complaints by major farm groups. So obviously we do not aspire to have extension programs based on the models in these states, nor do we think there is a need to conduct another review of the research stations. Key people to contact: Members of the House Standing Committee on Education
2. Planned reviews are plans to cut. The "Performance Evaluation Divison" is giving a list of 42 proposed reviews to the House Select Committee on Legislative Program Evaluation and the Joint Legislative Evaluation Oversight Committee. Committee members will be surveyed and the top 15 projects will be conducted in 2011-12. The last PED review of the research stations recommended closure of seven stations. It was rejected by the legislature and this is an attempt by the PED to expand that study to include Cooperative Extension plus field labs such as the animal units and the Turfgrass Field Laboratory at Lake Wheeler as well as the Pamlico Aquiculture Field Lab at Aurora. The committee members will vote next week and the 15 projects will be announced on April 4. So it is critical that contact be made early next week.
Key people to contact: House Select Committee on Legislative Program Evaluation and the Joint Legislative Evaluation Oversight Committee
Addresses and Phone Numbers of NC Legislators: Go to http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/
It is especially important to target the following legislators:
Rep. Jim Crawford- Granville, Vance (Oxford Tobacco Research Station)
Rep. Bryan Holloway-Rockingham, Stokes (Upper Piedmont Research Station)
Rep. Stephen LaRoque-Greene, Lenoir (Cunningham Research Station)
Rep. David Lewis-Harnett (A farmer and farm equipment business owner)
Rep Tim Spear-Chowan, Dare, Hyde, Washington (Tidewater Research Station)
Rep. Shirley Randleman-Wilkes (Upper Mountain Research Station in Ashe County)
Rep. Edgar Starnes-Caldwell (Upper Mountain Research Station in Ashe County)
Sen. Rick Gunn, Jr.-Alamance, Caswell (Upper Piedmont Research Station in Rockingham Co.)
Sen. Ralph Hise-Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey (Mountain Research Station in Haywood Co. and Upper Mountain Research Station in Ashe Co.)
Sen. Neal Hunt- Wake (Animal, and turf field labs at Lake Wheeler)
Sen. Martin Nesbitt-Buncombe (Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station and Mountain Research Station)
Sen. Jean Preston-Carteret, Craven, Pamlico (Pamlico Aquiculture Field Laboratory and Marine Aquiculture Research Center)
For additional background information about the research station PED - click here. | 