Research and extension outreach programs, a key source of support for small farmers across the United States, are in danger of closing up as federal and state government funding dries up.

 

The American Agriculturist reports that many publicly-funded national agricultural programs have run out of money, such as the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, which was eliminated completely from the federal budget. The service, which has been run since 1987 by the National Center for Appropriate Technology, will have to charge user fees for the publications it provides for small farmers and ranchers and agricultural researchers.

 

Bruce McPheron, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, pointed out that only 5% of the college’s research funding comes from industry, while 95% is funded by government grants and contracts.

-David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Public-supported Research and Extension Being Chopped (by John Vogel, American Agriculturist)