Ag bill includes $4 million for MSU research programs

The House Appropriations Committee has included more than $4 million for agriculture
programs at Montana State University in the $74 billion agriculture bill.

By Bozeman Chronicle Staff

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., announced Friday in a press release that he had secured
money for seven cutting-edge research programs at MSU in agriculture, biotechnology and
veterinary sciences.

MSU President Geoff Gamble said Rehberg has been "an exceptionally strong champion of
MSU back in Washington," according to the release.

The farm spending bill, approved in committee Thursday, goes to the House floor for a vote
next week and then must be approved by the Senate and possibly a conference committee.
Rehberg spokesman Dallas Lawrence said getting the MSU requests approved by the House
Appropriations Committee was the biggest hurdle.

Included in the 2003 agriculture appropriations bill are:

• $500,000 for developing a brucellosis vaccine for bison.

• $833,000 for improving feed barley for rangeland cattle.

• $505,000 for managing the pest wheat stem sawfly.

• $452,000 for sustainable pest management for dryland wheat.

• $1 million for the Sustainable Beef Supply network.

• $400,000 for nutrition research for cows and sheep, using different feedstocks such as
safflower meal.

• $720,000 for the MSU Montana Sheep Institute, which is working with New Mexico and Texas
researchers on strategies to make U.S. lamb and wool competitive in world markets. MSU would
get one-third of the $2.25 million appropriation.

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