Ag and Tech Park's Grape Genetics Research Center in line for $2.7 million

Boehlert

By Linda McCandless

U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-24th Dist.) announced $2.7 million in funding for the USDA-ARS (United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service) Grape Genetics Research Center at a press conference at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y., Dec. 10. The funding would be used to design and build a new federal research facility for USDA scientists to work with Cornell researchers in establishing and coordinating a national, concentrated grape program that maximizes the impact of grape research.

"These funds will establish the USDA-ARS Grape Genetics Center as the anchor tenant in the Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park at Geneva," said James E. Hunter, director of the Experiment Station. "Having this facility located at the park will result in the construction of the park's second building and pave the way for further development."

Hunter praised Boehlert, New York Congressmen James Walsh (R-25th Dist.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-22nd Dist.) and New York State Sen. Michael Nozzolio (R-C-54th Dist.) as key members of the New York delegation who were instrumental in making the award possible. "I congratulate them for their vision that investments in science and technology are important drivers of the upstate New York economy," said Hunter.

"The tremendous opportunity I've been given to serve this district for the last 21 years also provides New York state the seniority in Washington needed to bring this funding home," said Boehlert, who is chair of the House Science Committee. "I'm proud of the efforts Cornell has put forward to improve the agriculture industry. This funding will go a long way toward energizing the grape industry here in New York, which will reap immeasurable benefits for our local grape growers."

The funding was part of Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations spending bill passed by the House of Representatives Dec. 8. In addition to the $2.7 million in funding for the Cornell Grape Genetics Research Center, the bill included $3.55 million in funding for other area projects. The Senate is expected to pass the bill early next year.

The Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park is a research park for innovation and enterprise in the Finger Lakes devoted to food, agriculture and bio-based technologies. It is located on a 74-acre orchard adjacent to the Geneva Agricultural Experiment Station. Groundbreaking for the first building -- a 20,000-square-foot incubator building -- is slated for spring 2004. Expected in the future are additional build-to-suit facilities such as the Grape Genetics Research Center, a multi-tenant research facility and a greenhouse. Prospective tenants in the park, from government research labs to private businesses, will benefit from the research and development expertise at Cornell and the Experiment Station.

The Grape Genetics Research Center will expand the activities of scientists at the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit currently located at the Experiment Station, who collaborate with the more than 20 researchers at Cornell conducting research in grape breeding, cultivation, crop protection and enology (wine science).