Gazette-Times reporter

A budget bill in Congress this week could determine the fate of nine research projects in Oregon State University's colleges of agricultural sciences and forestry, and possibly leave the university scrambling to find other ways to pay the salaries of as many as 50 research faculty, graduate students and staff next year, according to OSU officials.

"I'm very wishful. Things don't sound very hopeful, but the anticipation is that Washington will find a way to maintain these programs," said Bill Boggess, associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. "We have funding through the end of June, but there is some angst about what happens after that. People are taking a wait-and-see approach."

OSU agricultural and forestry research and Extension services are threatened by possible losses in two federal programs. OSU leaders describe the situation as a "perfect storm" that could strip away millions of dollars in support for long-standing research.

On Wednesday, the House is expected to vote on whether to eliminate "earmarks" for the remainder of the federal fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. OSU's fiscal year ends June 30.

Land-grant universities such as OSU are among those expected to suffer most if the bill is passed, experts say.

OSU may lose funding for nine research programs totaling at least $3 million and as much as $4 million if the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Special Research Grant program is eliminated. The programs specifically address such high-impact Oregon agricultural areas as grass seed, potatoes, small fruit and Meadowfoam, OSU agricultural leaders say. Most of the projects have been underway since 1994, and one since 1975.

They are among $380 million in food and agricultural research and Extension projects nationally imperiled in the latest budget resolution under consideration by Congress.

Eight of these programs are in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, and one provides about $800,000 annually to the College of Forestry for wood utilization research.

This $800,000 pays for a portion of 10 faculty members' salaries, and funds about 13 graduate students and some staff, as well as supplies and travel expenses, said Hal Salwasser, dean of the College of Forestry.

The expectation is Congress will approve the Democrats' budget bill, temporarily eliminating earmarks for special causes and recipients, said Liz Clark, OSU director of federal affairs. The decision must be made by Feb. 15.

Local Congressman Peter DeFazio hasn't seen the bill yet, so can't say how he'll vote. However, he is committed to OSU and other land-grant universities, according to his spokeswoman, Danielle Langone.

"My hope is they keep it in. If it goes away, I've got to find close to $800,000 in the budget somewhere else to pay the faculty salaries and fulfill our obligation for graduate student support," Salwasser said.

Salwasser could dip into the college's reserves as a short-term fix, but that would not be an ongoing solution, he said.

Additionally, as many as 19 Oregon counties could lose funding for 4-H, Master Gardener training, nutritional education and other community-based learning programs because of stalled reauthorization of the Secure Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act, which represents about $250 million in annual funding to Oregon.

The act was passed in 2000 to stabilize payments to rural forest counties and has been used to fund county government programs, improve watersheds, create youth programs and help stimulate rural economies. Many of those projects have been accomplished through OSU Extension Service and its programs to support woodland managers, small farms, rural businesses and youth activities, both in school and after school.

Funding for these Extension learning programs could be lost through county governments' inability to fund them with the elimination of the act, according to OSU leaders.

Congress is in the process of deciding whether to reauthorize the Secure Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act and is debating the merits of the programs it funds, according to Scott Reed, dean of the OSU Extension Service.

Benton County receives 15.5 percent of its general funds from this act. In Linn County, that figure is 34 percent. Both counties use this money to help fund their Extension programs, according to Reed.

Reed said he is worried about the fate of Extension in Oregon.

"We can see the cliff's edge coming," he said.