Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 17, 1994 TAG: 9412190047
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Maintaining or increasing funding for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and the Virginia Tech Agricultural Experiment Station is at the top of the legislative wish list for Farm Bureaus in the Roanoke region.
Other issues of concern to area farmers include land-use regulations, health care reform, worker compensation laws, and taxes on tobacco and retail sales.
Farm Bureau members made their positions known to area legislators recently over lunch at a Roanoke restaurant.
"We feel like extension programs are still extremely vital not only to production agriculture but to the citizens of this state," Michael Beahm, a Botetourt County livestock farmer, told Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke, and legislative aides for other area legislators.
Beahm said that 20 percent of Virginia's economy and 20 percent of the state's work force is in some way dependent on the agriculture and forestry industries.
Since January 1990, according to Beahm, Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has had its budget for research and extension cut from $60 million to $50 million and has lost more than 200 researchers, specialists, county farm agents and support staff. Extension and research make up 80 percent of the college's budget and the cuts cannot be offset by increases in tuition.
The programs are facing additional cuts of $2.9 million in the 1995-96 budget year unless the General Assembly takes steps to restore the funds, Beahm said.
Thomas told the farmers that restoring agricultural funding at Tech would be a priority in the coming legislature, but it's not clear now what kinds of budget problems lawmakers may be facing.
Farm Bureau members also said they:
Support the "right to farm" laws passed by the 1994 legislature that prevent localities from placing undue obstacles in the way of using land for farming. They oppose rumored efforts to repeal those laws in 1995.
Oppose any proposed law that would increase health care costs and reduce companies' capabilities to change coverage or offer new coverage.
Oppose any increases in taxes on tobacco products. Efforts should be made to eliminate discriminatory taxes on tobacco and other farm products, they said. They support raising sales taxes only if the revenue is returned to local governments.
Oppose any changes in worker compensation that would increase rates and expand benefits. Expanding benefits would only increase already spiraling rates, they said.
by CNB