WASHINGTON – Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker announced the approval of $68 million in funding to be awarded to agriculture-related programs in Mississippi. The funding was agreed to today by the Senate Appropriations Committee and will now be sent to the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate. 

“This legislation supports research programs that improve crop yields so that our country can maintain its leading role in agricultural production,” Sen. Cochran said. “It also supports food security programs that help the most vulnerable in our society meet their basic nutritional needs. These programs are critical in a time of rapidly rising food prices.”

Wicker added: “The agriculture appropriations bill includes funding for important projects and programs that are vital to Mississippi’s agriculture industry. I appreciate Sen. Cochran’s decades of leadership in agricultural policymaking and look forward to continuing to work with him to advance our state’s agriculture industry.” 

The Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies bill includes funding for federal research initiatives, universities, conservation, and rural development programs. These funding initiatives include:

• $3,491,160 for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi. For continued research and discovery of new natural products and understanding how such products may be useful as new drugs or agrochemicals. 
• $2,026,837 for catfish production research in Stoneville, Mississippi. This program researches production techniques and the health of the catfish population. 
• $816,795 for research on soybean production and genetic resistance to the rust fungus.  
• $100,000,000 for the Boll Weevil Eradication Program. 
• $606,786 for sweet potato production research at Alcorn State University. 
• $1,658,729 for poultry production research at Mississippi State University. Poultry is Mississippi’s number one agricultural product. Research conducted at MSU produces findings on avian diseases and poultry production methods.