Posted: Monday, October 19, 2009
MOSCOW, ID - The University of Idaho says early November is the deadline to have a funding plan in place for its agriculture and extension services. Glenn Mosley reports.
The problem facing the UI and the agriculture industry in the state is the $4.7 million cut in the university’s agricultural research and extension budget, stemming from two state budget cuts. The proposed closure of research centers in the state, including one at Parma, raised alarms earlier this year.
The UI and the state have reached out to the private sector for help and Governor Butch Otter says they’ve been getting a pretty good response.
Governor Otter: “Those people in Parma that were getting the benefit of the fruit tree studies, or grape studies, or those kind of things, we’re asking them to step up to the plate.”
But the UI says that early November is the deadline to find commitments to help fund the university’s programs. Without a breakthrough on funding sources, the agriculture college will be before the State Board of Education in December to outline the cuts that will be needed to balance its budget.
Copyright 2009 Northwest Public Radio