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Committee approves Research and Extension budget with modest FTE increases, funds projects and facilities
Summary
The committee adopted amendments and advanced Senate Bill 2020—the research and extension budget—which includes $2.47 million in CIF funding for capital projects, added 4.37 FTEs net, and funds several branch research center projects and building items.
The Appropriations Committee adopted amendments and advanced Senate Bill 2020, the research and extension budget, after extended discussion of program priorities, branch research center needs and capital projects.
Representative Fisher, the bill carrier, walked the committee through the multiple components of the budget—extension service, Northern Crops Institute, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, main research station, branch research centers, and the agronomy seed farm—and explained that the appropriation package is made up of a mix of general fund, state special and other funds. He described priorities the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education (SBAR) had vetted, such as a carbon specialist for cooperative extension and support for branch research center operations.
Committee members probed capital and procurement language related to equipment storage sheds and other construction projects. Members discussed procurement and architectural requirements for prefabricated storage sheds and that earlier sessions had authorized a waiver for engineering/architectural rework on small, repeatable storage-shed projects; committee members emphasized that procurement for the construction contracts should still follow competitive bidding procedures.
Committee members asked about the composition of "other funds." Alex, budget staff, said one notable figure is $2,470,000 from the State Institutional Fund (CIF) for capital work; he also said federal funding and grant-derived revenues vary significantly among the branch stations and that a full accounting could be provided. Representative Nelson asked about net FTEs added; Alex reported a net addition of about 4.37 FTEs across the portfolio, a figure that includes FTE authority already added during the current biennium under existing flexibility.
Representative Fisher moved the amendment and later moved adoption of the bill as amended. The amendment and the bill both passed on roll calls (amendment: recorded as 20 yes, 0 no, 3 absent; final passage: 20 yes, 0 no, 3 absent). Representative Fisher and Representative Bosch volunteered to hold a seminar for committee members on the extension system and agricultural research work.
