Saturday, October 29, 2005
Organic-farming program gets $950,000 in funding
The latest from The Ticker blog
A Virginia Tech organic-farming program will reap the benefits of a 2006 agriculture appropriations bill to the tune of $950,000.
Reps. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, and Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, announced the funding Friday.
The two had included the funding as part of the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report, which passed the House of Representatives 318-63.
The money will help fund the Biodesign and Processing Research Center, which will look at ways to design fertilizers and pesticides that are environmentally friendly. It also will provide outreach services to farmers looking to take advantage of the growing organic-farming movement.
The center is a product of the NewVA Corridor Technology Council, Novozymes Biologicals (which makes enzymes that mesh nicely with the center's goals), and Virginia Tech.
-- Andrew Kantor
