Oregon Delegation Calls on Administration to Reinstate Ag Researchers

On Thursday, members of Oregon’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins calling for USDA workers to return to the job.  The letter states the lawmakers are concerned about the Administration’s decision to terminate ARS workers in Corvallis, Newport, Burns, Pendleton, and Hood River.

“The United States is already falling behind other countries in research and agricultural development, and the loss of these researchers will significantly stunt our competitive capabilities in agricultural science and technology,” the letter said.

The lawmakers went on to say the terminations are undermining important cooperative agreements between research institutions, ARS, and stakeholders representing some of Oregon’s most vital crop industries, including greenhouse and nursery crops, grass seed, wine grapes, and hazelnuts.

“Because of unexpected and unpredictable staff terminations, these crop industries cannot holistically benefit from such cooperative agreements and are at risk of losing valuable research progress, which otherwise would have helped stakeholders be more productive and financially successful,” the letter stated.

In their letter, the Democrats highlight how ongoing projects are being "destabilized" and progress is being lost on valuable research to improve crop yields and storage methods, manage pests, mitigate and prevent disease, and develop resilient farming practices; partly because these fired workers were, in some cases, the only or one of just a handful of people in the country with those research specialties.

Click Here to read the entire letter.

Members singing Thursday’s letter include Representatives Andrea Salinas, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter, Janelle Bynum, as well as senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com