'OARDC Is Key to Country's Future': USDA Deputy Secretary Merrigan

WOOSTER, Ohio — After touring the Wooster campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) — which is recovering from a Sept. 16 tornado that destroyed buildings, greenhouses, equipment and invaluable research — U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said it’s time “to heal” and to move forward with projects that are crucial to agriculture and the country’s future development.

Merrigan visited the campus on Oct. 27, accompanied by U.S. Rep. John Boccieri of Ohio’s 16th District, which includes Wooster. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack visited OARDC back in July to tour a renewable energy facility built on the campus through a public-private partnership (details here: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=5825).

“I’m saddened by the important loss of facilities and equipment,” said Merrigan as she walked by mangled greenhouses and laboratory equipment rescued from collapsed buildings. “I wanted to come here and see what happened so that when issues come up (at USDA) regarding this institution, I can make informed decisions.”

Though most of its scientists are with The Ohio State University, OARDC is also home to a number of researchers and technicians working with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on projects ranging from insect pests to crop diseases to spray technology. OARDC also receives funding from USDA through competitive grants.

“We were very pleased with the visit by USDA Deputy Secretary Merrigan and Representative Boccieri,” said OARDC Director Steve Slack. “They were very focused on how the facility losses are impacting Ohio State University and USDA research scientists and their programs, and how these losses ultimately impact society because of delayed or lost research activity. They both expressed strong support for getting these research programs moving forward as soon as possible.”

Merrigan pointed out that the future of OARDC is important to USDA because “this is a key place for educating the scientists of tomorrow” and “one of the leading agricultural research institutions in the country and the world.”

Added Boccieri, referring to OARDC projects and partnerships involving renewable energy, fuels and industrial products: “This is the place where the future jobs of Ohio are being developed.”

The research arm of Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, OARDC (http://oardc.osu.edu) is the largest university agbiosciences research center in the nation.

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