PHOENIX, AZ - US. farmers’ Speaking to the Farm Foun
ability to compete in the world is dation here today, Dr. Owen J.
threatened by cuts in research Newlin warned that the publicity
funding that are tied to the current supported U.S. agricultural
farm income situation. research system “is being
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Exec says research cuts harm ability to compete
r - *
weakened at a time when it should
be strengthened.” Dr. Newlin is a
vice president of Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc., a major
developer of genetically improved
crop varieties and other
technology for agriculture.
Newlin cited the current
situation at lowa State University,
typical of the instititutions which
invest state and federal dollars Jo
increase the productivity of
agriculture. State funding for
ISU’s Agricultural Experiment
Station, measured in constant
dollars, has grown by only 16
percent in the past 18 years
following two decades of rapid
growth that began in the 1950’5.
Federal funds have grown slightly
but their future is jeopardized by
balanced budget act, Newlin said.
Budgets for agricultural
research in many farm-oriented
states are suffering due to reduced
state revenues, Newlin pointed out.
In four of the past six years, lowa
State has had to give up part of its
state appropriation during the
budget year due to shortfalls of
state revenue.
Such emergency cuts are par
ticularly harmful because they
cannot be spread widely
throughout the research system,
Newlin pointed out. Generally,
these cuts must be made by
reducing graduate student sup
port, leaving vacated faculty
research positions unfilled and
postponing equipment repair and
purchases.
agricultural research funds,
Lancaster Farming Saturday, January 18,1986-09
Newlin says, is that it depnves
U.S. farmers of future increases in
productivity that will allow them to
compete in world agricultural
trade. “Farmers in the U.S. are
competing with those in other
countries of the world,” Newlin
pointed out. “Technology sweeps
across international borders...the
best we can hope for is to position
U.S. agriculture at the leading
edge of technology in order that
our competitors do not obtain a
technological advantage over us.”
Newlin defended efforts to in
crease productivity of U.S. far
mers during a time of surplus food
and fiber production. Higher
productivity reduces unit costs of
production, he said, which explains
farmers’ rapid acceptance of
genetically improved crop seeds,
pesticides, fertilizer, irrigation
and tillage practices that reduce
costs without corresponding yield
decreases.
Newlin proposed two steps to
assure that U.S. farmers remain
competitive in agricultural trade.
First, he said, research ad
ministrators must reduce
duplication. While it is desirable to
have more than one research
PennAg names chairpersons
EPHRATA - PennAg Industries
Association recently announced
the names of their 1986 Committee
• Chairpersons. They are as follows;
. CONVENTION:
HINES FEED
group working on a particular
problem in order to encourage
different approaches, excessive
duplication must be eliminated.
“The cost of high technology
equipment mandates that not
every university can achieve
excellence in all fields,” Newlin
said.
Second, Newlin said, those who
appropriate funds for our state
universities must assign a higher
priority to productivity-enhancing
research. Investments in
Agricultural research have been
shown to produce 35 to 50 percent
annual returns to the public, he
said. Unfortunately, the public is
largely unaware of the role that ag
research has played in holding
food costs, at such a low level.
“Today’s productivity is the
result of investments in ag
research made 10 to 20 years ago,”
Newlin declared. “The lack of
adequate funds for agricultural
research today should alarm all
who understand that basic
research, particularly the
development of new biotechnology
techniques, is of a long range
nature and cannot be turned on and
off at will.”
Hollidaysburg, FA.
• FINANCE: Jack Hess- HESS
MILLS, Paradise, PA.
• MEMBERSHIP; Jack
Gaudette- STANFORD SEED
COMPANY, Denver, PA.
• EDUCATION: John Sutton-
LOVATT & CO., INC., Ambler, PA.
• FERTILIZER & EN
VIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS;
Elwood Funk- CHEMGRO
FERTILIZER CO., East Peter
sburg, PA.
• LAW & LEGISLATIVE- John
Anstine- ANNLICK FARM
SUPPLY, INC., Port Royal, PA.
• PLANNING: Ed Rhoads-
RHOADS MILLS, Selinsgrove, PA.
• FEED & FLOUR: Togle
Marcucci- PALMERTON FEED &
GRAIN CORP., Palmerton, PA.
• PROMOTION & PUBLICITY:
Gordon Bierman- CENTRAL
SOYA CO., INC., Camp Hill, PA.
• TRANSPORTATION: Mike
Horn- PENNFIELD CORP.,
Lancaster, PA.
These PennAg members will
serve as Chairpersons until their
term expires on December 31,1986.
Janet Hines-
STORE,