| Congressional Pig Book
(Note from JL: Speaking of the need to clean our own house ... This is from the Citizens Against Government Waste 2003 Congressional Pig Book.) Like children taking cookies from a jar, appropriators used the Agriculture Appropriations Bill to satisfy their hunger for pork with little regard to national needs. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a very strict policy of not requesting state- or commodity-specific research grants through the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) special research grants program. Unfortunately, Congress has a strict policy of not listening to USDA. In fact, appropriators earmarked $112 million in CSREES grants, a 3,294 percent increase over USDA's budget request of $3.3 million. Total agriculture pork in fiscal 2003 was $478 million, or 5 percent more than fiscal 2002's total of $454 million. $44,239,000 for projects in the state of Senate Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee member Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee member Tom Latham (R-Iowa), including: $33,000,000 for the National Animal Disease Center in Ames; $700,000 for the Midwest Poultry Consortium; $280,000 for the Iowa Vitality Center; $235,000 for dairy education; $210,000 for hoop barns; and $100,000 for the Trees Forever Program. $29,904,000 added by the Senate for projects in the state of then-Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), including: $9,200,000 for the Southern Horticulture Laboratory in Poplarville; $2,000,000 for the plant propagation facility in Oxford; $750,000 for ornamental crops research; $500,000 for catfish health in Stoneville; $350,000 for sweet potato research in Stoneville; and $100,000 for drainage improvements on Watkins Drive in Jackson. $19,973,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) and the district of House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member David Obey (D-Wisc.), including: $8,400,000 for the Cereal Crops Research Laboratory; $3,000,000 for the Nutrient Management Research Laboratory in Marshfield; $550,000 for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture's grazing lands initiative; and $540,000 for urban horticulture. $10,586,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), including: $1,200,000 for seafood harvesting, processing, and marketing; $700,000 for rural development; $631,000 for alternative salmon products; $450,000 for the Kenai Streambank restoration water project; $200,000 for seafood waste in Fairbanks; and $140,000 for salmon quality standards. $7,115,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and House appropriator Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), including: $740,000 for aquaculture product and marketing development; $690,000 for agriculture waste utilization; $600,000 for water pollutants; $180,000 for wetland plants; and $160,000 for feed efficiency. $6,170,000 for wood utilization research (Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Mich., Minn., Miss., N.C., Ore., and Tenn.). Since 1985, $73 million has been sapped from the taxpayers for this research. $4,214,000 for shrimp aquaculture research (Ariz., Hawaii, La., Mass., Miss., S.C., and Texas). Since 1985, $57 million has been appropriated for this research, which has become a staple of the appropriators' diet. $19,973,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) and the district of House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member David Obey (D-Wisc.), including: $8,400,000 for the Cereal Crops Research Laboratory; $3,000,000 for the Nutrient Management Research Laboratory in Marshfield; $550,000 for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture's grazing lands initiative; and $540,000 for urban horticulture. $10,586,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), including: $1,200,000 for seafood harvesting, processing, and marketing; $700,000 for rural development; $631,000 for alternative salmon products; $450,000 for the Kenai Streambank restoration water project; $200,000 for seafood waste in Fairbanks; and $140,000 for salmon quality standards. $7,115,000 for projects in the state of then-Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and House appropriator Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), including: $740,000 for aquaculture product and marketing development; $690,000 for agriculture waste utilization; $600,000 for water pollutants; $180,000 for wetland plants; and $160,000 for feed efficiency. $6,170,000 for wood utilization research (Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Mich., Minn., Miss., N.C., Ore., and Tenn.). Since 1985, $73 million has been sapped from the taxpayers for this research. $4,214,000 for shrimp aquaculture research (Ariz., Hawaii, La., Mass., Miss., S.C., and Texas). Since 1985, $57 million has been appropriated for this research, which has become a staple of the appropriators' diet. $900,000 for Satsuma orange research in the state of Senate appropriator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and House appropriators Robert Aderholdt (R-Ala.), Sonny Callahan (R-Ala.), and Robert Cramer (D-Ala.). The focus of this research is to determine new methods for Satsuma orange production, an important crop in Alabama, "under potentially unfavorable conditions." Although USDA has never requested funds for this project, Satsuma orange research has received $2,173,955 since fiscal 2001, and its national significance remains dubious. $497,000 added by the House for projects in the district of House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee member Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.): $297,000 for technological development of renewable resources and $200,000 for rice agronomy. $450,000 added by the House for oyster post-harvest treatment research in the district of House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee member F. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.). According to USDA testimony, "this research is focused on freezing as a post-harvest treatment" for oysters and shellstock products to reduce the health risks for consumers in Florida. Since 2002, $850,000 has been appropriated for this research. $280,000 for asparagus technology and production in the state of Senate appropriator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee member George Nethercutt (R-Wash.). According to USDA officials, "the asparagus industry in Washington and other states is suffering a severe economic loss," and "this research will enable Washington asparagus producers to remain domestically and internationally competitive." http://www.cagw.org/site/DocServer/Pig_Book_2003.pdf?docID=302&AddInterest=1022 Other Pig Books: |