President Obama’s most recent budget proposal would close six Agriculture Research Service (ARS) laboratories including the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville. The President’s proposal redirects the money from these research centers to increase spending on other programs. 

This center has proven to be a vital asset to the agriculture community with important discoveries researched here and implemented in farms across the country. As a former Polled Hereford rancher, I understand the importance of the research done at the Center. Farmers rely on the innovations discovered here to improve their practices. 

I am working to preserve the important research being done at the Booneville facility. I believe shutting down these laboratories to increase spending on other programs is not a wise use of taxpayer dollars. 

Last Friday I toured the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center. You can read the story about our visit in the Booneville Democrat. Today I encouraged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to look at the facility and reexamine the research important research being done at the laboratory.