THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501120403
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Virginia Tech President Paul Torgersen urged farmers Wednesday to protest Gov. George F. Allen's proposed state spending cuts, which he claimed would cripple agricultural research and outreach programs.
``Unfortunately, today we must question Virginia Tech's future ability to contribute to the growth and development of agriculture,'' Torgersen told a statewide farm meeting. ``And from what I am hearing from leaders of agriculture in the commonwealth, this may put at risk agriculture's very ability to prosper.''
The state currently spends about $6.99 per person on agriculture and forestry research and extension services, ranking it 11th among 13 Southern states in per capita spending.
``That's not a bad investment,'' said Torgersen, who spoke at the fairgrounds where six major farm organizations are having their annual meetings.
Torgerson noted that Allen said in a 1993 interview with the newspaper Virginia Farmer that ``agriculture is important to Virginia, as it creates over 555,000 jobs.''
Agriculture accounts for about one-sixth of the state's employment and gross product, Torgersen said.
But the Cooperative Extension and Research service has lost one-fourth of its funding and personnel since 1990. Allen's amendments would bring that loss to 50 percent by reducing the extension budget by $7.3 million and the experiment stations by $5 million.
Since 1990, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech has seen the budget for research and extension shrink from about $60 million to $50 million and has lost more than 200 employees.
``Clearly the university's ability to support the industry of agriculture - an ability that is already under severe duress - will be crippled if the cuts are enacted,'' Torgersen said.
Torgersen foresees numerous cooperative extension offices closing. Many rural economies would suffer as farm productivity declines. Research on safer pesticides and fertilizers affecting water quality would be curtailed.
``Every citizen in Virginia is affected in some way by your efforts or Virginia Tech programs,'' Torgersen told the farmers. ``At a minimum everyone has to eat.''
He asked farmers and industry representatives at the Agri-Celebration '95 meeting to ``speak louder'' against the proposed cuts.
``If we do not act decisively, my institution will have to dismantle programs that have been quietly effective for decades and decades.''
KEYWORDS: PROPOSED BUDGET CUT by CNB