University to ask public about research centers
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 11:05 AM PDT
BOISE (AP) — Four months ago, a committee that included farmers and lawmakers recommended the University of Idaho shutter three agricultural research centers to help eliminate a $3.2 million deficit.
University officials are now touring the state to gather more input after the proposed closure of the Parma Research Extension Center by the end of the year drew criticism from southwest Idaho fruit growers and the governor. The Sandpoint and Tetonia research and extension centers were also recommended for closure, but those proposals were not as developed as the plan to shutdown the Parma facility, university officials said. The school’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is facing an 11.5 percent loss for its 12 agriculture and extension centers during the current fiscal year because of cuts in state spending.
‘‘We can’t spend money we don’t have,’’ said college spokesman Bill Loftus. The university said in June it would close the center in Parma, which sits on 200 acres and has three greenhouses, but growers who use the station to do research on their crops blasted the proposal and called on the governor to spend $500,000 to keep the facility open next year while they explored alternative funding.
