Legislators did "as much as they could" for the College of Ag

 5/9/2001

            BOZEMAN -- Though the Montana Legislature was unable to provide all the funds requested in the session that ended in April, state legislators' "choices show that they have a sincere interest in economic development, particularly related to agriculture," says the dean of agriculture at Montana State University.

            "Considering the shortfalls in funds, state legislators did as much as they could for us," said Sharron Quisenberry, dean of MSU's College of Agriculture and director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station.

            The Montana Legislature, in the session that ended in April, provided the experiment station:

            -- funding for three positions to begin development of an Institute for Biobased Products and Food Sciences

            -- funding for some salary and benefit savings,

            -- funding for some capital equipment,

            -- funding for additional repairs and improvements to the Experiment Station's seven research centers around the state,

            -- funding to cover shortfalls in federal funding and funding from sales of ag products from research centers, and

            -- planning authority for a new Animal Bioscience Facility,

            One of the projects, funding for renovations to the research centers, will require the College of Agriculture to raise matching non-state funds. The legislature approved $1 million for the work, contingent on the college raising $1 million from other sources.

            "Raising money is always going to be a challenge, but when there is an obvious need for the work, we're committed to raising the rest of the money," said Quisenberry. "When you need something like a septic system or a safe place to store chemicals, it's just something that has to get done."

            The Institute for Biobased Products and Food Science is one of the more exciting programs that is able to begin because of legislative support, she said.

            The institute will collaborate with the University of Montana, Montana Manufacturing Extension Center, USDA-ARS in Miles City and Sidney, Montana Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and all of the MSU Campuses and programs.

            "To start, we'll use all the expertise we have at those units and add expertise in food science and safety, and risk assessment," said Quisenberry.

            The state Legislature provided $400,000 to get the Biobased program started, and the college will need to raise $280,000 in non-state funds.

            Five of the research centers have capital priorities. The state Legislature will allow bonding for $1 million, with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station needing to raise another million dollars to continue the repairs and improvements.

            Quisenberry said the projects will be scheduled according to a priority list developed in consultation with the centers. At the top of the list is work at the Southern Agricultural Research Center at Huntley that includes an office/lab building, machine shed, chemical storage building, and water system, from irrigation and septic to potable water. Projects at the Central Ag Research Center near Moccasin are next, then those at the Northern ARC near Havre followed by those at Eastern ARC near Sidney and the Northwest ARC at Kalispell.

            "We'll start with the first project and go as far as we can with the funding provided," said Quisenberry.

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Send questions or comments to Carol Flaherty, MSU Communications Services, Bozeman, MT 59717 or email Flaherty at carolf@montana.edu.

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