More Research Dollars for Alabama Ag Projects

Agricultural research funding provided by the omnibus appropriations bill, signed into law by President Bush recently, may be a boon to Alabama farmers in several ways, helping them treat costly diseases, expand marketing opportunities for some crops and explore high-tech management practices.

Among other projects, the $5-million appropriation will fund catfish disease research, the Precision Agriculture Partnership, and tri-state peanut joint research. The appropriation also provides more than $1 million dollars for food safety and detection studies at Auburn University. The additional money provided this year will allow Auburn to expand its research of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and methods of prevention.