-- Agriculture Research Service Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, West Virginia: $6.6 million has been requested for the Agriculture Research Service to complete design and begin construction of an expansion to the laboratory and specialized research space at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, West Virginia. The proposed expansion will incorporate new, environmentally-friendly fruit production technologies allowing U.S. producers to remain competitive within global markets. The research and resulting new technologies will benefit consumers, the general public, and the American Fruit Industry by contributing to environmentally and economically sustainable production of more nutritious and healthful fruit in the U.S.
-- Agriculture Research Service, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, West Virginia: $600,000 has been requested for the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) to support the hiring of a computer vision engineer/scientist and support staff for the Appalachian Fruit Research Station (AFRS) in Kearneysville, West Virginia. The new scientist and technicians would work to develop components of robotic systems for automation of fruit production and handling processes and to develop pest-only targeted spray technology in tree fruits.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lost River Watershed, Hardy County, West Virginia: $6.5 million has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, to support construction of Site 16 of the Lost River Watershed Project in Hardy County, West Virginia. The project will provide $3 million in annual water supply, erosion, and incidental recreation benefits, and $612,000 in annual flood protection benefits.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dunloup Creek Watershed, Fayette County, West Virginia: $2.5 million has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, to support the Dunloup Creek Watershed Project, a voluntary flood buyout program impacting 290 properties and associated infrastructure in Fayette County which have suffered repeated flooding, with devastating events in 2001 and 2005. Accompanying this project are incalculable benefits to reducing risk to life and property, improving the quality of life to a distressed community, and restoring environmental integrity to the natural floodplain of Dunloup Creek.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Risk Management Initiative: $750,000 has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, to assist West Virginia livestock producers with one-to-one technical assistance to develop sound grazing systems as part of a farm-specific conservation plan, marketing strategies, and uniformity of production quality. Critical issues addressed include economic viability of producers with small herd size, pasture condition, water quality, and compliance with state and federal regulations.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Phosphorus Studies: $300,000 has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, to develop an understanding of phosphorus saturation and retention in soils. The goal of the study is to quantify seasonal distributions of water and phosphorus movement in benchmark soils, leading to the development of a watershed response model.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Potomac River Tributary Strategy: $275,000 has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Morgantown, West Virginia, to support a partnership between the NRCS, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, agriculture groups, and citizen interests to develop a tributary strategy for the Potomac River that will improve the water quality of the river.
-- Natural Resources Conservation Service, North Sand Branch Watershed Study, Raleigh County, West Virginia: $200,000 has been requested for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, West Virginia, to conduct a detailed watershed investigation of the North Sand Branch Watershed in Raleigh County in order to identify specific factors that contribute to flooding problems; to formulate and analyze possible solutions; to determine cost-effectiveness; and to complete a watershed plan. The watershed has sustained repeated damages from multiple flood events over the last decade.
-- Marshall University Bacterial Source Tracking Project, Water Pollutants Database, Huntington, West Virginia: $1,050,000 has been requested for Marshall University (MU) to support environmental fecal source tracking and pathogen profiling in natural waters; research, education, and training of law enforcement in microbial forensics; and the completion of a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory at the MU Biotechnology Sciences Center. Rapid identification of fecal contamination is paramount in reducing human exposure to pathogens and remediating the source.
-- West Virginia State University, Agriculture Waste Utilization Project, Institute, West Virginia: $1,000,000 has been requested for West Virginia State University to continue its work to develop innovative and biological ways of utilizing livestock wastes by converting them into assets for the farmer. Environmental contamination caused by agricultural and other waste is a worldwide problem, and West Virginia State has been developing a technology that can contribute in alleviating and reducing these types of wastes.
-- West Virginia University, Wood Utilization Program, Morgantown, West Virginia: $500,000 has been requested for West Virginia University to further its role in the nine-state Wood Utilization Program which promotes forestry and forest products as viable contributors to the economies of each state. This project will focus on efforts to identify and promote economic opportunities for the state’s wood products industries through applied research and technology transfers.
-- West Virginia University, Aquaculture Production and Marketing Development, Morgantown, West Virginia: $750,000 has been requested for West Virginia University to continue its research and community outreach efforts on more efficient and profitable production of fish. Specific emphasis is given to marketing, cost of production and processing, product quality, improved production technologies, proper treatment and disposal of waste products, potential use of impaired mine waters, and technical support for state producers and processors of fish.
-- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, Integrated Predation Management Program for West Virginia: $400,000 has been requested to continue the West Virginia Integrated Predation Management Program. The West Virginia Integrated Predation Management Program matches federal and state funds to help sheep, goat, and cattle producers in West Virginia. Through this program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works to protect property and reduce human health and safety risks by managing the population of the local predators. In addition, the program combats wild-borne diseases, protects natural resources, such as fisheries and timber, from wildlife depredation.
-- West Virginia University, Center for Food, Nutrition and Obesity, Morgantown, West Virginia: $400,000 has been requested for West Virginia University to initiate a project to combat obesity. The program would involve an interdisciplinary collective of scientists and educators from the Davis College of Agriculture, the Extension Service, and the School of Medicine, who will design and test programs to promote healthier eating and physical activity habits among children and families in the state using a variety of approaches. The project will research the behavioral and environmental factors that influence obesity in order to develop effective obesity prevention strategies.
