The Challenges Facing Nevada Agriculture With/Without University Of Nevada’s “Help”
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
The truth is that Nevada agriculture cares a whole lot more about the University of Nevada – than the University of Nevada cares about agriculture. Many of the state’s industry leaders are products of the College of Agriculture when it was something. Much of the frustrations over the years has come from it no longer being something and now is proposed to be nothing…gone.
The original idea for Land Grant Universities was to have these institutions be a support system, helping agriculture and other core and fundamental sectors be prosperous. Looking around the country there are such institutions throughout the country who take their responsibilities very seriously. Here in Nevada the trend has been to try and go through the motions, collect the checks and when push comes to shove – discard agriculture all together.
There have been readers here in the last few days who have pointed out that if I and my writing were to be more inclined to increasing Nevada taxes, perhaps something could be worked out to help the University officials find a way to have the financial wherewithal to keep the College of Agriculture. I have responded that the organizational position I’ve documented against tax increases has nothing to do with the cuts being proposed by the University officials and I’m not being two-faced in wanting a viable College of Agriculture and no tax increases.
Yes, I get the part that taxes fund state expenditures…like the College of Agriculture (and other worthwhile University pursuits). That doesn’t mean though that those in charge should be expecting the blank check for more that seems to be their automatic requirement.
In addition to the proposed discarding of one of the core areas of responsibilities – agriculture – from its Land Grant University we’ve also had the chance to deal with the University system teaming up with Senator Harry Reid in working to destroy one of the most productive agricultural irrigation systems in the state. First, playing money laundering agent to get around legislative prohibitions for spending federal allocations and later involvement in a sham of an environmental impact study that cleared the way for other players in the process to meet their obligations without actually having to determine anything in the realm of accountable and traceable linkages.
Doing without a College of Agriculture and not getting what the state’s farmers and ranchers need by way of agricultural research and development assistance might not be the worst thing to be endured, if we could somehow get those involved from going out of their way to make matters worse.
For many hardworking agricultural producers not having a College of Agriculture or a Main Station Experiment Station probably doesn’t matter – it’s not like they will be doing without for the first time. The real impact will continue to be the drain by those who have to leave the state to get the quality agricultural education not available in Nevada (again, not a real new development). Will they be able to leave, get the education they need and come home to engage in building a future for Nevada agriculture?
I guess that all depends on who the University and anti-agricultural interests decide to go after next…
The truth is that Nevada agriculture cares a whole lot more about the University of Nevada – than the University of Nevada cares about agriculture. Many of the state’s industry leaders are products of the College of Agriculture when it was something. Much of the frustrations over the years has come from it no longer being something and now is proposed to be nothing…gone.
The original idea for Land Grant Universities was to have these institutions be a support system, helping agriculture and other core and fundamental sectors be prosperous. Looking around the country there are such institutions throughout the country who take their responsibilities very seriously. Here in Nevada the trend has been to try and go through the motions, collect the checks and when push comes to shove – discard agriculture all together.
There have been readers here in the last few days who have pointed out that if I and my writing were to be more inclined to increasing Nevada taxes, perhaps something could be worked out to help the University officials find a way to have the financial wherewithal to keep the College of Agriculture. I have responded that the organizational position I’ve documented against tax increases has nothing to do with the cuts being proposed by the University officials and I’m not being two-faced in wanting a viable College of Agriculture and no tax increases.
Yes, I get the part that taxes fund state expenditures…like the College of Agriculture (and other worthwhile University pursuits). That doesn’t mean though that those in charge should be expecting the blank check for more that seems to be their automatic requirement.
In addition to the proposed discarding of one of the core areas of responsibilities – agriculture – from its Land Grant University we’ve also had the chance to deal with the University system teaming up with Senator Harry Reid in working to destroy one of the most productive agricultural irrigation systems in the state. First, playing money laundering agent to get around legislative prohibitions for spending federal allocations and later involvement in a sham of an environmental impact study that cleared the way for other players in the process to meet their obligations without actually having to determine anything in the realm of accountable and traceable linkages.
Doing without a College of Agriculture and not getting what the state’s farmers and ranchers need by way of agricultural research and development assistance might not be the worst thing to be endured, if we could somehow get those involved from going out of their way to make matters worse.
For many hardworking agricultural producers not having a College of Agriculture or a Main Station Experiment Station probably doesn’t matter – it’s not like they will be doing without for the first time. The real impact will continue to be the drain by those who have to leave the state to get the quality agricultural education not available in Nevada (again, not a real new development). Will they be able to leave, get the education they need and come home to engage in building a future for Nevada agriculture?
I guess that all depends on who the University and anti-agricultural interests decide to go after next…
Posted by Doug Busselman at 3/6/2010 6:47 AM 
Categories: Agriculture
Tags: University of Nevada Nevada Walker River Project College of Agriculture closing Agriculture
Categories: Agriculture
Tags: University of Nevada Nevada Walker River Project College of Agriculture closing Agriculture
Comments