CONGRESSMAN BISHOP JOINS USDA AND UGA FOR NEW AG RESEARCH FACILITY GROUNDBREAKING

TIFTON, Ga. – On Wednesday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02), the Democratic leader of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, the Food & Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, joined leaders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and University of Georgia (UGA) as well as Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA-08) for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the construction of a new state-of-the-art Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research facility on UGA Tifton campus.

The new 31,000 square feet facility will be home to the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory and the Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit.

“Across the country, America’s farmers and agriculture industry are producing the highest quality, the safest, the most abundant, the most affordable food and fiber anywhere in the industrialized world. It is how we families can afford to put a good meal on the table and our children can grow strong and healthy. That is what Americans see and depend on,” said Congressman Bishop. “The challenges our farmers and producers face are constantly evolving. Tackling them requires dedicated researchers – like USDA scientists and their UGA faculty partners – and it takes facilities like the state-of-the-art facility that will be built here.”

“Cutting-edge research keeps American agriculture competitive and helps farmers and ranchers stay ahead of emerging threats like climate change and emerging pests and diseases. We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with scientists and students at the University of Georgia - Tifton, and we look forward to seeing this state-of-the-art facility foster additional innovation, breakthroughs, and even recruitment of new talent to our organizations,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

“State and federal scientists stationed at the UGA Tifton campus have a long history of working together to solve some of the most difficult production challenges in the Southeast. This building will improve our collective ability to recruit top scientists, provide laboratory space for cutting-edge approaches, and leverage existing campus assets,” said UGA Tifton campus Assistant Dean Dr. Michael Toews.

The facility will support multidisciplinary research focused on water resources for agriculture in the southern Coastal Plain, the management of weeds, insect pests, and pollinators in agricultural landscapes, and the development of resilient and sustainable cropping and forage systems in the southeastern United States. The research will benefit farmers, producers, and communities throughout Georgia and the country.

ARS ensures that farmers and producers – whether they are a small family operation or an industry titan – get the information they need or benefit from new technology, practices, or solutions to today’s challenges which can range from responding to natural disasters, pests, and crop diseases to finding innovative ways to efficiently produce the food and fiber Americans need.

There are two ARS facilities in Georgia’s Second Congressional District, the National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson as well as the Fruit and Tree Nut Research Station in Byron. Both centers continue to provide crucial support to America’s farmers.

As leading Democrat on the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, the FDA, and Related Agencies, Congressman Bishop works hard to ensure robust support for ARS and other USDA programs. The USDA estimates that every $1 invested in agriculture research results in $20 of economic impact.

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PHOTO CAPTION (left to right): ARS Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit Research Leader & Location Coordinator Corley Holbrook, ARS Southeast Area Director Archie Tucker, ARS Administrator Simon Liu, Under Secretary Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Congressman Sanford Bishop, UGA Tifton Assistant Dean Dr. Michael Toews, Congressman Austin Scott, and former Under Secretary Gale Buchanan break ground on the new USDA ARS facility in Tifton, GA