In addition to rust research funding (see Soybean Rust Background Paper), ASA supports the following provisions in FY-2006 appropriations:

 Restore funding for ongoing soybean research in the ARS budget.

 Adoption of report language on the Legume Crops Genomics Initiative.

 Full funding of the CCC Bioenergy Program at $150 million.

 Increase funding of the Conservation Security Program, as proposed in the President’s Budget.

 $400,000 to fund soybean protein research in the upper Midwest, as proposed in the President’s Budget.

In 2004 soybean growers invested more than $27 million in national and state check-off funds toward soybean research, including more than $1.9 million for soybean rust research alone. Soybean farmers are willing to invest their own resources toward the future of the U.S. soy industry; however, a greater federal investment is also urgently needed.

With confirmation of Asian soybean rust in the United States threatening the long-term competitiveness and survival of our industry, the need to understand the genetic and environmental factors that provide resistance to disease is critical. Improving yield by defending against disease, both native and introduced, depends on the combination of surveillance, monitoring and research.

These research and appropriations priorities were selected based on the magnitude of potential impact on demand for U.S. soybeans, the level of investment needed, time to commercial impact and the appropriateness of the research for public research agency involvement.

The areas of emphasis are:

As in years past, the President’s 2006 Budget proposes termination of several important soybean research projects. These projects are located in Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri, Iowa, Texas and North Dakota, and total more than $10 million.

USDA and industry stakeholders, including ASA, have developed a coordinated framework for soybean rust surveillance, reporting, prediction, and management. This critical program must be in place for the 2005 growing season. Since rust was not confirmed in the United States until last November, the surveillance and monitoring program was not developed in time to be included in the President’s FY06 budget.

For 2006, support will be needed to continue the coordinated framework and to refine it based on 2005 experience. Specifically, funding will be needed for sentinel plots, mobile field monitoring teams, and diagnostic services. See the Background Paper on Soybean Rust for specific research funding requests.

ASA is a member of the U.S. Legume Crops Genomics Initiative, which brings together growers and scientists from five economic crop legumes (soybeans, alfalfa, peanuts, dry beans, peas and lentils) to develop priority genomics research that will provide economic benefits to legume crop producers and the environment. In 2003, the total estimated farmgate value of U.S. legume crops was more than $22 billion.

For FY-2006, the Initiative is supporting Agricultural Appropriations report language, which is attached.

ASA strongly supports USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bioenergy Program at the current authorization level of $150 million annually as outlined in the 2002 Farm Bill. The President’s FY06 budget has proposed only $60 million. At nearly full funding levels, the program is not keeping pace with the growth of new biodiesel producers. This program is critical to new biodiesel facilities because it allows a more affordable purchase of inputs for start-up companies.

ASA strongly supports the Conservation Security Program (CSP), which received a 35 percent increase to $274 million in the President’s FY06 budget.

Additionally, ASA supports the President’s Budget request for $400,000 to improve quality and quantity of soybean protein grown in the upper Midwest. This project would be located at St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Committee recognizes the importance of public sector research in plant genomics and the need to translate useful genomic information from model plant systems to agriculturally important legume crops, including soybean, alfalfa, beans, peanuts, peas, lentils, chickpeas and clovers. These crops provide nutritious food and feed, important phytochemicals to improve human health, increased sustainability of cropping systems through their fixation of nitrogen, and a renewable feedstock for biobased industrial products that reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum. Improving legumes for future needs requires that cutting edge genomics research be conducted within the various legume crop species to enable the development of better varieties for U.S. farmers. The extensive data on the model species enables targeted optimization of the nutritional and economic value of the U.S. legume crops. Indeed the genomic information from one legume can be leveraged to improve the others (e.g., soybean rust resistance may be transferred from common bean, Phaseolus).

Because legumes have tremendous nutritional and environmental benefits and because they have not received targeted funding previously, the Committee directs USDA to expand the funding available within the NRI for the application of genomic technology in legume crops and for the translation of information from the model species to the legume crops and between legume species.