THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, August 18, 1994              TAG: 9408170319
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN              PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Robert Little
                                             LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

CLOSING COULD AFFECT MORE THAN FARMERS

If the USDA's Peanut Research Unit in Suffolk is shut down, peanut farmers might not be the only ones who care.

The closure also would likely put a strain on the state's agricultural research and extension center in Suffolk, which has been giving advice to farmers and gardeners for more than 80 years, according to that facility's director.

The federal government is considering closing Suffolk's eight-person Peanut Production, Diseases and Harvesting Research Unit. Part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the unit develops new varieties of Virginia peanuts, and helps peanut farmers battle disease, rot and pests.

But the unit shares office space with Virginia Tech's Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center, which does research for all types of farmers. And center director Glen Heuberger said other programs could suffer without the help of the federal peanut program.

``In any kind of cooperative agreement like this, you try to share equipment and funding so you don't duplicate things,'' said Heuberger.

``So closure won't only have an effect on peanuts,'' he said. ``It could affect the whole center.''

Established as a one-man operation in 1914, the Virginia Tech center now has 45 full-time employees and conducts research on peanuts, soybeans, corn, wheat, barley, hogs and other products. It is the largest of 11 state research and extension offices.

Virginia's soybean extension specialist works there. So does the swine specialist.

Virginia Tech can't afford to take over the peanut research now being conducted there by the USDA, Heuberger said. But the center will try to expand its services if the federal program is shut down.

But that means stretching out a staff already spread thin by state budget constraints.

``We lose some expertise which cannot be replaced. It's a major loss,' said Heuberger.

``But we do intend to keep servicing peanut growers.

``We don't intend for the Virginia peanut grower to go out of business, we'll try to keep them competitive. But it's just another thing we have to take on.'' by CNB