This alone should be enough to make you realize in Oconee County why voting for Paul Broun for Senate is to our own detriment

UPDATE: Broun won't seek earmarks for J. Phil Campbell Center

Written by Mike Sprayberry

Friday, 25 February 2011

President Barack Obama’s proposed Fiscal Year 2012 includes the potential closing of the J. Phil Campbell Sr. National Resource Conservation Center in Watkinsville.   The Center, a part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, currently employs 24 people and operates on a budget of $2,961,000. If the President’s proposed budget passes both houses of Congress and is signed into law by the President in its current form, the Watkinsville location and its current projects would be shut down.   “The President’s budget for FY2012 proposes funding of $1.137 billion for ARS,” explained Sandy Miller Hays of the ARS. “This is a net reduction of approximately $42 million from the estimated 2011 levels.   “In order to operate within the proposed funding level, ARS has had to carefully evaluate all of its operations nationwide and has had to make some difficult decisions regarding termination of specific research projects as well as closure of specific laboratories and locations. The J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center in Watkinsville is one of the locations proposed for closure.”   According to the ARS, the mission of J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center is to “develop and transfer environmentally sustainable and profitable agricultural systems to land owners and managers in order to protect the natural resource base, build accord with non-agricultural sectors, and support healthy rural economies.”   Research Leader Dwight Fisher summarized the work that takes place at the Watkinsville location.   “What we really try to do is keep agriculture in the piedmont and protect natural resources at the same time,” said Fisher. “Historically, we have done a lot to protect the water and soil.”   Fisher also explained that other recent projects focus on the production practices of organic and local agricultural production as well as coal emissions.   Hays addressed the consequences of potentially closing the Watkinsville location.   “ARS is among the largest agricultural research organizations in the world, with more than 100 locations nationwide and a few overseas. We have approximately 2,200 scientists, more than 8,000 employees, and at any given moment, we have approximately 1,100 research projects under way. In an organization of this size, there are many employment opportunities.”   Hays emphasized that the proposed budget reflects difficult choices brought about by the current economic environment.   “The President and ARS share a vision for building an economy that works for all Americans. But these are challenging times and to afford the strategic investments we need to grow the economy in the long-term while also tackling the deficit, this budget reflects some tough choices.   “To be able to afford to make the strategic investments that will help our economy in the long term, we have to make some cuts to programs we care about. While the budget proposes reductions in high-performing programs and termination of good projects, it’s not because they weren’t valuable programs; it’s simply because these tough budget times call for difficult choices to be made.”   Specific locations (including the Watkinsville location) were selected for potential closure for one or more of several reasons. According to the FY 2012 Explanatory Notes from the Agricultural Resource Service (available at http://www.obpa.usda.gov/16ars2012notes.pdf):   “The FY2012 Budget recommends selected high priority research initiatives which address the Administration’s science and technology priorities and the Department’s Strategic Goals. To finance these initiatives within limited resources, some existing programs are proposed for reduction or termination given that they: (1) are considered by the Administration to be of lower priority; (2) are duplicative or can be accomplished more effectively elsewhere in ARS; (3) are marginal or below threshold funding for program viability and sustainability; or (4) are projects that are carried out by other research institutions. The savings achieved from these reductions/terminations will be redirected to finance the higher priority agricultural research initiatives identified in the FY 2012 Budget, and will improve program and operational efficiencies.”   U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, whose congressional district includes Watkinsville, did not offer much hope for the future of the center. If Congress does not change the President's proposed budget to include funding for the center through the appropriations process, Broun said he would not seek earmarks to get the funding reinstated.   In a statement released Friday, Broun said:   “I understand that the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center is an asset to our agricultural community. The research conducted there is beneficial to farmers across the southeast. However, the President's budget proposal for FY2012 includes funding reduction for the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, which would result in the closure of several facilities, including the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center.   “While Congress will ultimately decide the final budget, we are in an environment where we’re going to have to cut back in all areas of government. The potential closing of this facility is an example of the difficult times in which we live. Should Congress choose to cut agricultural research funding, appropriators would have to direct funds in order to maintain the facility’s operations. However, my colleagues and I have pledged to the American people that we will not appropriate funds to specific projects. Instead, we are working for much-needed reform and transparency for the process.”