Ag Research Infrastructure at Risk According to Oklahoma State Researcher

A study of 91 university and college research departments showed that maintenance and improvements have been deferred for several years and now sit about $8.5 billion behind.

Dr. Thomas Coon of Oklahoma State University said more than 80 percent of those facilities are more than 25 years old.

“Older infrastructure and underfunded maintenance is undermining the productivity and dependability of our research enterprise.”

Coon said that could make huge impacts down the road.

“The competitiveness of our agriculture sector, the security and safety of our citizens food supply and in large part their health, depends on the research our scientists produce.”

That work is being compromised, according to Coon, by that lack of investment.