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8 CapitalPress.com March 16, 2018 UI ag research yields healthy return on investment, study finds By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press Like most land grant uni- versities across the country, the University of Idaho’s agri- cultural research facilities are showing their age. And despite the critical work performed at those facilities, funding for up- grades has been limited. The Idaho Agricultural Ex- periment Station in the univer- sity’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences has sup- ported the state’s agribusiness industry and the broader econ- omy for 125 years, but its nine research and extension centers are about 50 years old. “We’re dealing with an ag- ing infrastructure” and equip- ment that is older than the new researchers the university hopes to bring on board, said Mark McGuire, IAES director. “We need to step up. We need to make some changes,” he said. That need prompted an out- side analysis of the economic impact of the research centers to demonstrate return on in- vestment. “We’re trying to show the state’s investment in the re- search and extension centers has a very good return,” he said. The analysis — performed by Emsi, an economic analy- sis company based in Moscow, Idaho — weighed the econom- ic impact of three of the largest www.shellyboshartdavis.com Shelly Boshart Davis is seeking election in Oregon House District 15. Boshart Davis makes run for state House seat By MITCH LIES Capital Press File Work at the Aberdeen Agricultural Research & Extension Center. A study commissioned by University of Idaho officials found that its nine research and extension centers bolster the state’s economy. research centers, those at Kim- berly, Aberdeen and Parma. It found their $8.1 billion in research funding in FY 2016-17 created $11.5 million in economic activity. That’s a 141 percent return on research funding — or a return of $1.41 for every $1 spent by the re- search facilities. Those three centers also generated $3.8 million in new grant funding and created $5.1 million in additional income and an additional 137 jobs across the state. The analysis also estimated the direct impact of intellectual property from the research — ranging from plant breeding to irrigation efficiency — and found it would generate $11 million in additional income and $37.6 million in addition- al sales if farmers fully imple- mented those varieties or prac- tices. In 2011 alone, university researchers’ early detection and warning of potential stripe rust damage to wheat crops generat- ed a one-time economic impact of $178.5 million in income and $230 million in sales for Idaho’s wheat industry and the state’s economy, Emsi reported. The research not only ben- efits agricultural producers but all of Idaho, providing addition- al jobs, tax revenue and sales. It also provides environmental benefits through improved agri- cultural management practices that reduce water and chemical usage, McGuire said. But the research facilities and equipment are so old that people served by IAES wonder how researchers can find solu- tions for the challenges they bring, he said. Significant funding is need- ed for repairs and maintenance and to replace laboratories, some of which are well over 50 years old. That plan involves allocat- ing IAES dollars, support from the Legislature and funding from commodity groups. Idaho ag college dean outlines $25M research & extension plan By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press PARMA, Idaho — During a March 8 meeting, the dean of the University of Idaho’s agriculture college laid out the basic outline of his goal to invest $25 million in UI’s nine research and extension centers. The average age of facili- ties at the College of Agricul- tural and Life Sciences’ re- search stations is 50 years old and the college plans to spend millions of dollars to build modern ones that can help the college recruit top research- ers, said CALS dean Michael Parrella. He said the plan starts with the Parma facility, which conducts research on multiple crops, includ- ing beans, potatoes, onions, hops, mint, tree fruit, wine and table grapes, cereals and seed crops. “If we can build a $6 mil- lion facility here (at Parma), that is a game-changer. That is transformational. That’s what I’m shooting for,” he told about 50 members of the state’s farming industry. Parrella said that when CALS announced it was hold- ing a visioning session to talk about the future of the Parma Sean Ellis/Capital Press Michael Parrella, dean of the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, speaks about his hope of investing $25 million in nine ag research centers March 8 during a visioning session at Parma Ridge Winery. research station, some people asked him if the university was considering closing the station. “No, it’s just the opposite,” he said. “We’re going to make it better and invest in it. And we’re not going to stop at Par- ma. We’re going to invest in all of our R and E centers.” The visioning session was held to garner industry input on what it needs from the re- search centers and Parrella said CALS will take that input and put together a blueprint for moving forward. The money needed to in- vest in the research stations will come from a three-way partnership between the col- lege, industry and the legisla- ture, Parrella said. People who attended the event told Capital Press they believe industry members would be willing to contrib- ute financially to accomplish CALS’ vision of investing in the research stations but they will have to be convinced the college has a solid plan. “If there’s a good plan put together and it’s one that’s comprehensive so that indus- try can see that there will be success from it, then I do think industry will come around and support it,” said Greenleaf farmer Dave Dixon. “But it has to be a very good plan so industry is confident that they will get something out of it.” Hammett grower Nick Blanksma said he was im- pressed with Parrella’s vision for positioning the research stations for success into the future. “You have to look to the future and Dean Parrella’s vision is the future and it’s something I’m excited about and it’s something that every- body in Idaho should be excit- ed about,” he said. During the four-hour event, Rich Garber, govern- mental affairs director for Ida- ho Grain Producers Associa- tion, spoke about the idea of creating an Idaho agriculture endowment that all segments of the state’s farming industry can contribute to. “I think if we are col- lectively committed to that, we could raise an incredible amount of money to support agriculture programs around the state,” he told Capital Press later. For the Capital Press Albany, Ore., straw farmer Shelly Boshart Da- vis long believed that one day she would serve her community in a public fo- rum. She just didn’t think it would happen this fast. Davis, 38, has an- nounced she has filed to run for the Oregon House District 15 seat. Her filing was precipi- tated by the announcement in late February that sev- en-term Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, would not seek re-election. With Olson’s encouragement, Davis de- cided it was time to make the leap. “I’ve been talking to Andy about this for a while, and when I was asked to consider representing our district in the legislature, I knew it was time to step up to the plate,” Davis said. “I knew that someday I would give back to the community in some form of public office, but I thought that would be fur- ther down the road,” she said. Davis, who is running unopposed in the May pri- mary, said that if elected, she believes she can jug- gle her legislative duties with her responsibilities with Boshart Trucking, which bales over 20,000 acres of straw each sum- mer, and as vice president of Bossco Trading, which negotiates straw sales internationally. “The timing is good,” Davis said. “The long (leg- islative) session (held on odd-numbered years) ends around the Fourth of July, which is typically when we start baling. And I am only twenty minutes from the Capitol. “If I had lived in Mal- heur County, this wouldn’t be an option,” she said. Also, she said: “The legislature is not a full- time job, and Oregon is meant to have a ‘citizen legislature’ made up of ordinary people. Most in the legislature have oth- er jobs and many still run businesses. It is all about priorities.” House District 15 has a long history of support- ing Republican candidates, but Republicans hold only a 2.5 percentage point ad- vantage over Democrats in the largely blue-collar dis- trict, and winning the seat isn’t seen as a sure thing. Davis said she plans to run a full-scale campaign, with the big push coming in September and October, after harvest. She added that while she has never run for of- fice, she is no stranger to campaigns, having been in- volved in efforts to defeat Measure 92, the GMO-la- beling measure that voters rejected in 2014, and Mea- sure 97, the gross-receipts tax measure that voters re- jected in 2016. Davis also is no strang- er to the Capitol. “I have probably testi- fied on anywhere from 20 to 25 different issues over the past few years, from diesel to emissions to la- bor, manufacturing, pesti- cides — all of these mul- tiple issues that have hit us (in agriculture) over the past few years. And I am very involved in the Ore- gon Seed Council, Oregon Aglink, Oregon Women for Agriculture and Farm Bureau.” She also has served on the Government Affairs Committee of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, on an advisory committee for the Agriculture Transpor- tation Coalition and, since 2016, on the Linn County Budget Committee. Davis, who is married and has three daughters, said she has received tre- mendous encouragement and more than $15,000 in campaign donations since she announced her plans. “People have been call- ing, asking how they can support,” she said. “I think it is encouraging and hum- bling, and I hope it keeps going.” Now Accepting Donations! Donation Ideas: 11-4HOU • Airline Tickets • Vacation Rentals • Event Tickets • Artwork • Gift Certificates • Excursions (Fly Fishing, Plane Rides, Etc.) 31st Annual Auction and Dinner Saturday, April 21, 2018 • Linn County Fair and Expo Center owaonline.org