Washington State University requests $3.85 million in the state 2008
Supplemental Operating Budget to confront two major, pressing factors that
threaten public health: the danger of disease transmission from animals to
humans (zoonotic diseases), and the condition of our food supply (both safety
and abundance.)
Recent deaths and hospitalizations associated with E. coli outbreaks in spinach
and illnesses from consumption of raw milk are examples of national consumer
food safety issues that have impacted the state’s industry. Other
diseases transmitted from animals to humans such as avian flu and West Nile
Virus are continuing health threats.
In addition, Washington is facing a number of serious threats including sudden
oak death, honey bee colony collapse, grape leaf roller virus, and other
diseases.
Specifically, WSU requests a supplemental budget appropriation for:
1)
$1.75 million for creation of a
new WSU School for Global Animal Health
to provide practical, innovative solutions to infectious disease challenges
through research, education, global outreach, and application of disease control
at the animal‑human interface. The funding will secure four key
internationally-recognized faculty positions to launch the school in the areas
of animal-human disease transmission, vaccine development, disease surveillance
and global animal health policy. The School for Global Animal Health will
advance science, people, and policy to discover novel approaches for disease
intervention and delivery of preventive health care for animals and humans.
2) $2.1 million to address pressing farm labor issues, pest and disease threats
to Washington crops, and emerging, food safety issues. Much of this effort
will be delivered at WSU Research and Extension Centers which are located in the
heart of key production regions and work hand-in-hand with industry to identify
and develop technological solutions to emerging issues.
School for Global
Animal Health
Positions are
requested for four new internationally-recognized faculty members with expertise
in global health and the animal‑human interface and with established funding for
their programs. The request includes
a graduate student position for each position as well as technical and
operational support
-
Professor in Zoonotic Disease Transmission
‑ provides new expertise in mapping routes of transmission of pathogens from
animals and their environment to humans, such as
E. coli, with emphasis on new strategies for blocking transmission.
·
Professor in Vaccine Development
‑ provides new expertise in developing vaccines targeted at animals with the
goal of preventing ongoing transmission to humans. This position will be linked
inter-institutionally with members of the Washington Vaccine Alliance (Fred
Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Infectious Diseases Research Institute, PATH,
PNNL, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, UW, and WSU).
·
Professor in Emerging Disease Surveillance
‑ provides unique new expertise in detection of emerging diseases that
threaten human and/or animal health both within the State and globally, and
focuses on development of novel testing procedures and screening methodology.
·
Professor in Global Animal Health Policy and Metrics
‑ provides needed
expertise in measuring intervention outcomes and formulating science-based
policy to control international spread of animal and zoonotic diseases.
Responding to Emerging Areas Facing Washington Agriculture
Three programs are proposed to address emerging food security issues facing
Washington State:
Technological Solutions to Address Farm Labor Shortages ($400,000)
Funding is requested for two automation and mechanization researchers located at
the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser. They will
spur the development of new technologies aimed at reducing farm labor
requirements, increasing the number of high-paying jobs, and enhancing farm
worker safety.
Protecting Washington Crops from Emerging Threats ($700,000)
Washington is facing a striking number of new pests such as iris yellow spot
virus of onion, tuberworm and beet leafhopper of potato, hop looper of hops,
High Plains virus of sweet corn, grape leafroll virus in vineyards, and knotweed
in riparian zones.
$250,000 of this portion of the
request goes to the Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration to
conduct research on the safety and efficacy of substitute chemicals and
biocontrols to replace important pesticides used in the production of minor
crops.In addition, research support is
requested for WSU programs servicing the tree fruit and grape industries to
assure that any plant material brought into the state is free from plant
viruses, a plant and insect diagnostic lab dedicated to serve central and
eastern Washington to provide one-on-one assistance in the identification of
home and commercial pests, and funding to support WSU’s
Sudden Oak Death Laboratory in Puyallup to protect the state’s
ornamental tree industry. Funding to conduct research on colony collapse
disorder will enhance our ability to address this critical and emergent problem
that threatens the sustainability of many crops dependent upon honey bees for
pollination.
Building Safe and Efficient Local Food Systems ($300,000) A value-added
agriculture specialist located at the Puyallup Research and Extension Center is
requested to focus on food safety and efficiency of community-supported
agriculture, farmers markets, and other evolving marketing systems. A food
marketing economist will provide critical analysis required to continue to
advance the state’s
transforming food sector and evaluate rapidly emerging opportunities around
organic and sustainable food production.
Providing Critical Capacity at WSU Research and Extension Centers ($700,000)
Support positions are requested for a manager of the new research orchard at
Wenatchee, an organic farm manager in Pullman, a coordinator of perennial crop
operations in Prosser, and an ag biofuels farm specialist for Eastern Washington
experimental fields. Funding in this portion of the request will be at the
Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center located in Prosser, the Tree
Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, the Northwestern Washington
Research and Extension Center in Mount Vernon, the Puyallup Research and
Extension Center, the Pullman Research Station and three additional research
farms located in eastern Washington.
Contact
person: Larry Ganders, Telephone
(360) 956-2165
