Legislation could affect Upper Mtn. Research

Legislation that could close the Upper Mountain Research Station in the Ashe County portion of Laurel Springs was approved by the N.C. Senate but was rejected by the N.C. House earlier this month.

Under the legislation, the Upper Mountain and 10 other farm research stations operated by the N.C. Department of Agriculture for decades would instead be operated by North Carolina State University. NCSU already operates the state's other six farm research stations.

Area agricultural officials said many Senate members apparently didn't realize the proposal concerning the research stations was part of the budget bill when they voted for the legislation.

N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has been quoted in statewide media as saying he opposed the legislature's plan to close some agricultural research centers. Agricultural research designed to help farmers is conducted on the farms through a joint relationship between NCDA and NCSU.

"This is a relationship that we've had for some 70 years, and it's served North Carolina well," said Troxler, adding that the budget proposal is "a bad idea."

The bill, under negotiations in a committee composed of House and Senate members, calls for consideration of downsizing agricultural research stations for efficiency and to reduce administrative costs starting with the 2008-09 fiscal year. The bill requires an evaluation of "which stations or farms should be retained by the state." About 160 Department of Agriculture employees work at the research stations.

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