> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 3:31 PM
> To: undisclosed-recipients
> Subject: Catch The Buzz Article
>
>
>
> Industry Organizations and individual beekeepers and those
> who depend on honey bee research (and who doesn't eat?), must
> act fast to convince congress that the guns in the proposed
> budget will mean less butter for all of us.
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>
>
> Bee Labs Not In 2003 Budget
>
>
> If you haven't heard, the 2003 budget submitted by the
> President in early February, calls for a $15 million base
> fund reduction for the USDA's Agriculture Research Service
> (ARS). An additional $90 million will be terminated as
> congressional add-ons, part of which will come from closing
> two Albany, CA research facilities and additional programs in
> wheat quality labs.
>
> Of the $15 million, part of this is to be accomplished by
> terminating all operations at the Beltsville, Tucson and
> Baton Rouge Bee Labs. One scientist from each lab and that
> scientist's funding will then be transferred to the Weslaco
> Bee Lab in Weslcao, Texas. The remaining scientists and staff
> will be offered other positions in ARS. This will reduce the
> USDA Honey Bee research scientist positions from 21 to 9.
>
> These transfers will increase Weslaco's budget by $1.3
> million, even though they, too, will lose a congressional
> add-on from last year. The Logan, Utah, Bee Lab will lose a
> $249,000 congressional add-on, but undergo no other changes
> or transfers.
>
> Dr. Phyllis Johnson, Beltsville Area Director said that the
> lab closing proposals were part of the findings of a
> Facilities Task force established by the last Farm bill committee.
>
> The budget proposal next goes to, and needs to be approved by
> both the USDA and the OMB before it goes to congress. They
> have, to some degree, the latitude to decide what is, and
> isn't in the final budget presented to Congress.
>
> Concerns of the affected industries should be directed to
> local congressi8onal offices, members of the appropriations
> committees and the Secretary of the USDA said Dr. Johnson.
>
> If enacted as proposed, the three affected Bee Labs will
> close and transfers occur at the end of the current fiscal
> year, September 30, 2002.
>
>
>
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> Kim Flottum
> Editor, Bee Culture Magazine
> http://www.airoot.com/beeculture/index.htm
>
> For an archive Catch the Buzz postings, visit:
> http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/buzz/index.html
>
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