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A series of email messages you may find interesting: Joan Richards is the Unit
representative for Fairfax GreenSprings Master Gardeners Her is some activity on
the issue that Joan originated.
Betty,
I am forwarding an email I received from one of the delegates to the House
from Northern VA. I actually sent one to each delegate with my telephone
prefix...all 27 of them. I had not thought to write to Gov. Kaine but now I
will and I encourage others to do likewise.
Joan Richards
I
just heard Gov. Kaine and the General Assembly are contemplated reducing or
eliminating from the budget programs of great need in Virginia. I am speaking
directly about the Virginia Cooperative Extension program and the Agricultural
Research Stations. At a time when our nation's food supply is increasingly
endangered as a result of contamination by food borne pathogens how can we
eliminate the work done in getting this information out to the public. I am
not talking about media exploitation but rather the facts, the truth. Virginia
Cooperative Extension (VCE) is the arm of VA Tech and the Ag. Research Stations
in getting to the public educational programs on handling foods to prevent
problems with pathogens as just one of their many valued programs to improve
the quality and safety of our families in Virginia. VCE is the umbrella for
4-H programs where thousands and thousands of 9 t 19 year olds in Virginia
learns how to improve the quality and safety of living in their homes and
communities through participation in projects ranging from gardening to
environmental education to projects involving livestock and small animals such
as rabbits and chickens. Virginia gains much from its agricultural products.
Sustainable agricultural practices are necessary to keep our vegetable and
fruit farms and orchards going. Community Based Agriculture (CBA) and farmers'
markets are important to sustain agricultural practices. When gasoline prices
drive up the cost of 'imported' produce whether from Florida or Costa Rica and
the costs of fertilizers and gasoline to run tractors and equipment, CBA and
farmers' markets through VCE are brought together with the consumer to the
benefit of both. I urge you to do all you can to keep VCE and the
Agricultural Research Stations in the budget.
And some of the replies she received:
Ms. Richards,
Thank you for your e-mail message. I think that you are correct to be
concerned about cuts to Extension Service and Agricultural Research Station
funding because the history of budget cuts in Virginia is that higher
education funding seems to be the first target.
I received an agriculture degree from Virginia Tech and once worked for the
Extension Service and the 4-H program, and I have supported Extension and
Agricultural Research Station funding over the years. I have also
co-sponsored budget amendments to increase funding for these programs
because they have already received too many cuts in recent years.
State revenues have been drastically reduced and the Governor has already
taken actions to reduce spending for agencies across the board in the current
fiscal year. I do not believe that the administration has finalized spending
cuts for the next fiscal year, but they will be coming because of our revenue
problems. I certainly will keep track of what the administration proposes for
Extension Service and Agricultural Research Station funding when the budget
changes are presented to us in December.
I also suggest that you and others write to the Governor and let him know of
your views before the budget cuts are finalized. The old saying is that "the
squeaky wheel gets the grease" and a little squeaking on the part of Extension
Service and Agricultural Research Station supporters would probably be a good
thing to try to nip this in the bud.
Rest assured that I support you on this and I appreciate your views.
Delegate Bob Hull
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