Is a $5.2 million dollar investment in scab research by the federal government justified?
The scab epidemic has caused losses of $2.6 billion to the wheat crop (1991-1996) and $400 million to the barley crop (1993-1997). After five years of severe economic hardship from this disease, growers in the Dakotas and Minnesota are going out of business, and U.S. barley and wheat markets are being lost to Canada. The federal government is losing substantial tax revenue. A significant return on this research investment can be realized. (3) Funding of $500,000 in FY99 to support USDA-ARS research to control root diseases of barley and wheat (Pacific Northwest). Root diseases have become major limiting factors to achieving the full production capability and fertilizer-use efficiency for wheat and barley in direct-seed (no-till) cereal-based cropping systems. These systems are needed both to keep grain growers competitive in world markets and to protect soil, water and air resources from the erosive and polluting effects of tillage. Funding of $500,000 is proposed for the ARS at Pullma
