Congressman Berry Shepherds $225 Million in Agriculture Programs for Arkansas Through Appropriations Process

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Representative Marion Berry (D-AR, 1^st) late last night finished shepherding more than $225 million in new agriculture projects and programs for Arkansas through the appropriations process as the house passed the 2004 fiscal year agriculture appropriations bill.

“This appropriation bill addresses Arkansas’ and the nation’s vast agricultural needs,” said Representative Berry. “It is very satisfying to work with a bill at the committee level and see it through to the floor of the House. The funds in this appropriations bill will continue to bring America agriculture into the 21^st century.”

Representative Berry’s newly appointed position on the Appropriations Committee enabled him to guide needed funds for agricultural priorities in Arkansas including $90 million for multiple watershed and flood prevention projects through the National Resources Conservation Service. The funding is $50 million more than the request President Bush originally made to Congress and includes several Arkansas-specific programs:

·   Bayou METO Conservation Demonstration Project                                

This funding is to continue the water conservation operations of the Bayou METO Conservation program.  This beneficial program will utilize funding to continue construction of on-farm features such as tail water recovery systems in an effort to increase water conservation practices in a large agricultural area with a fast depleting ground water supply.

·   Ditch 26, Jonesboro, Arkansas                                          

This project will alleviate flooding in an area that as recently as last August experienced over $5.25 million in damages to area businesses.  The City of Jonesboro is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to modify Ditch 26 in a manner that would significantly reduce flooding occurrences in the area, while also protecting those below the city in the watershed from increased flooding.

·   Big Slough Watershed and Flood Prevention                                

The planned program addresses floodgate damage to approximately 17,000 acres of farmland, several stretches of Highway 49, as well as the communities of Paged, Glenway, and Rector in Northeast Arkansas.

·   Poinsett Watershed and Flood Prevention                                    

This funding will go to channel improvements in Craighead and Poinsett counties, specifically for construction of channel segment 6.  This funding will bring this project to near completion. 

In addition to watershed and flood prevention funds, the appropriations bill also directs $2.75 million to the National Water Management Center (NWMC) located in Lonoke, Arkansas. The NWMC consists of a group of highly skilled water resources specialists who provide valuable ground water information and assistance throughout the United States.  The center was recently expanded from its regional scope to a national focus by the Secretary of Agriculture.  

The Agriculture Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2004, which totals $17 billion, still requires Senate and conference action before it goes to the President to be signed into law; however last night’s vote is one of the final major hurdles the bill needed to clear. The bill appropriates funds for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct its business over the next fiscal year.

A complete list of projects important to Arkansas follows:

• The Agriculture Appropriations bill provides for continued funding secured for several important research projects in Arkansas:
• Aquaculture Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR
• Diet and Immune Function, Little Rock, AR
• Harry Dupree National Aquaculture Research Center, Stuttgart, AR
• Rice Research, Stuttgart, AR
• Small Farms Research, Booneville, AR

• Increases in Agriculture Research Service funding important to Arkansas over their FY03 funding levels:
• Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock $250,000
• Entophyte Research, University of Arkansas $150,000
• Conversion of Agricultural materials to biofuels, $400,000
• Cotton Pathology Research, $300,000
• Cotton Quality, $300,000
• Cropping Systems Research, $700,000
• Feed Efficiency in Cattle, $250,000
• Foot and Mouth Disease, $350,000
• Invasive Aphid Research, $250,000
• Karnal Bunt (Wheat), $100,000
• West Nile Virus, $250,000

• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Research and Education Activities:
• Animal science food safety consortium, $1,604,000
• Aquaculture, $231,000
• Forestry, $509,000
• Institute for Food Science and Engineering, $1,214,000
• National Research Initiative, $149,248,000

• Extension Activities:
• Beef producers' improvement $194,000
• 1890 facilities grants $13,500,000

• Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) funding important to Arkansas:
• Pest and Disease Management:
• Boll Weevil, $51,000,000
• Aquaculture, $1,130,000

• NRCS Conservation Operations Committee Provisions:
• National Water Management Center, Lonoke $2,750,000
• Little Red River Irrigation Project $375,000
• Walnut Bayou Irrigation Project $300,000
• Study to determine the logistics of transportation and coordination of excess nutrient management(AR) $250,000

• Progress will continue to provide financial and technical assistance to the following NRCS Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations:
• Big Slough Watershed
• Ditch 26 Jonesboro
• Poinsett
• Bayou Meto
• Little Red River
• Upper Petit Jean Watershed Project