[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E883-E884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 22, 2001

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the value of 
agriculture research and the contribution it makes to the lives of U.S. 
producers and consumers.
  Over the past few months, American livestock producers have closely 
followed the latest international news. We have watched nervously as 
foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has ravaged the United Kingdom's livestock 
community, and as it has marched into the European mainland, the Middle 
East, Asia and South America.
  To date, around 1,560 sites in Britain have been hit by the highly 
contagious virus. Now, Brazil is the latest country suspected of 
hosting the disease. Moreover, FMD has cost the world's cattle, hog and 
sheep industries billions of dollars. Britain's meat industry estimates 
the highly-contagious disease has cost it $12 million a week in lost 
sales leaving the UK with a bill of more than $4.3 billion just to halt 
and destroy the disease.
  All of this begs the question: How do we best protect American 
livestock from animal ailments such as FMD and mad cow disease?
  In the new global market, it is only a matter of time before the rest 
of the world's diseases come knocking on America's door. Considering my 
district--Colorado's Fourth District--is a leader in livestock sales, 
and that the U.S. livestock industry generates $55 billion a year, we 
must be able to defend our livestock from threats like FMD by means of 
science and technology, instead of relying only on border checks, 
federal agents and good luck.
  Nor is new legislation the answer for the long term. The real key to 
prevention lies in agricultural research and development. It makes 
sense to take a proactive approach in protecting and improving 
America's livestock. Such research leads to the discovery of new uses 
for ag products, which in turn boosts demand.
  I was surprised to learn that even though agriculture receives less 
than two percent of the federal research budget, productivity in the

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ag sector grows four-to-ten times faster than in other sectors. And 
while the federal government provides about 24 percent of funding for 
ag research, the private sector pays more than 60 percent of the bill, 
proving ag research is one of government's best buys.
  Much of agriculture's most innovative research is conducted in my 
home of Colorado. Research excellence is perhaps best exemplified at 
Colorado State University's Center for Economically Important 
Infectious Animal Diseases. The center provides America's
  Another example is the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium 
(NBCEC). Comprised of renowned scientists from CSU and other leading 
universities, as well as local cattlemen, the NBCEC is bolstering the 
competitiveness of U.S. beef by maximizing genetic research and 
returning the advantage to U.S. cattle producers.
  The USDA's research budget has barely grown in real terms over two 
decades. But the recent livestock epidemics have provided an overdue 
wake up call, and we can expect Congress to advance a substantial 
increase in funding for ag research. If planned properly, such support 
will secure long-term solutions for the producers and consumers of 
today and tomorrow.
  With more than one million individual farms and ranches comprising 
the U.S. livestock industry, investing in knowledge and prevention is 
one of the best ways policy makers can stand by American agriculture. 
It is a matter of national security. After all, at stake is America's 
capacity to feed itself and the rest of the world.
  I ask the House to join me in supporting America's producers by doing 
everything possible to better the country's agricultural research.

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