WASHINGTON, Oct. 20- A coalition of 1,200 organizations, companies, institutions, and individuals sent a request yesterday to the members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to maintain agricultural research funding levels during their deficit reduction decisions. 

 
“Investments in publicly funded research are critical for maintaining a successful agriculture and food sector,” according to the letter. “For every $1 invested in publicly funded agricultural research, $20 in economic activity is generated.”
 
“Recent studies have concluded that funding for research for food and agriculture needs to be increased steadily and significantly if future challenges are to be met. At a minimum, we request that funding in the current budget for agricultural research programs be maintained and that further cuts be avoided.”
 
The four principal leaders of the Senate and House agriculture committees will issue their outline for a Farm Bill spending plan to the Joint Committee on Nov. 1 that includes $23 billion in agricultural spending reductions. The deadline for the Joint Committee to vote on their plan with $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction is Nov. 23.
 
Companies, individuals, educational and research institutes, and various organizations and associations signed the letter in defense of research funding. The entire list of signees and the content of the letter is available here
 

The following is a list of companies that joined the request:

 

1. A&L Great Lakes Laboratories, Inc.

2. AAA Soil Consultants

3. Aregsun Farming Co.

4. Arizona Pest Management Center

5. C. Richard & Associates

6. CID Bio-Science, Inc.

7. Cropper Farms

8. Dakota Indexing LLC

9. Data2Bio, LLC

10. Dow AgroSciences LLC

11. DuPont

12. Eversole Associates

13. Foggy Bottom Farms

14. Food Polymer Science Consultancy

15. Franklin & Franklin Tax Service

16. Franklin Properties

17. GCC-Smart Tools, Inc.

18. Glades Crop Care, Inc.

19. Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association

20. GrassRoots Biotechnology

21. Hal Owen & Associates, Inc.

22. Heartland Plant Innovations

23. Houston Spraying & Supply, Inc.

24. Hy-Line International

25. Hy-Line North America, LLC

26. IE-Strategic Crop Services

27. Infinite Enzymes

28. Irrometer Company, Inc.

29. J. Rettenmaier USA LP

30. Kendall & Associates, Inc.

31. Kerr Pacific Corp.

32. KHH BioSci Inc.

33. Lake Seed, Inc.

34. Lester R. Vough, PhD, LLC

35. Mendel Biotechnology

36. Mennel Milling Company

37. MidAtlantic Farm Credit

38. NebraskaLand National Bank

39. New York Botanics, LLC

40. Recombinetics, Inc.

41. Redrock Services, Inc.

42. River Run Farm

43. Silver Lining Farm

44. Soil Works, Inc.

45. Southeast Soil & Environmental Service, Inc.

46. Star of the West Milling Co.

47. Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.

48. Terra West Consulting, Inc.

49. Van Arsdall & Associates

#30

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