LANSING — Michigan State University is seeking $75 million in state funding to continue research efforts that they say benefit farmers around Michigan.
The request would support the work of the AgBioResearch department, including a research center in Northwest Michigan that supporters say helps fruit growers better protect their crops.
“We are the applied research arm for the state of Michigan on a whole host of topics, including agriculture and food systems, natural resources,” said George Smith, director of MSU AgBioResearch. The request also includes funding for MSU Extension programs.
The funding would cover MSU AgBio’s base research costs for the next year.
“This funding is very, very important to the operations of our two organizations, and has a direct economic impact on the state and on communities and on and livelihoods of people.”
Smith says the research of his department helps farmers — especially fruit growers — adapt to changing conditions.
“Everything from managing emerging pests to dealing with the impacts of extreme weather to basic management practices that can help growers in the Traverse City area and beyond, still make a living,” he said.
The Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in Leelanau County conducts MSU AgBio’s fruit growing research on 137 acres of farmland.
Nikki Rothwell, coordinator for the research station, says their main objective is to ensure fruit-growing remains a profitable industry.
“That’s what our main goal is, to try to retain the agricultural characteristic of our region, knowing that there is so much pressure for housing in this region,” she said.
Rothwell says the station puts out valuable information for growers in northwest Michigan and around the state.
The station helps put together the annual Michigan fruit management guide, which includes information on pesticides and how to deal with potentially destructive pests and insects.
“We talk about planting new varieties or putting in new draining systems, or growing things a different way, or putting input — keeping our input costs down, but still protecting the fruit from the insects and the diseases that can be affected in our climate,” Rothwell said.
The funding is usually provided as part of the state’s recurring education budget, but State Rep. John Roth, (R) District 104, Interlochen, submitted the request to ensure it met new transparency requirements around legislatively-directed spending.
“These have been long standing, recurring funding lines, and the House has a new process,” Smith said.
Lawmakers will likely finalize the budget and individual funding requests in late June.