Don Nickles: “I rise today regarding the United States Department of Agriculture Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward…”

“I rise today regarding the United States Department of Agriculture Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward, OK. As you know, the Agricultural Research Service is currently undergoing a facility modernization at the Southern Plains Range Research Station in Woodward. I submitted a request for Phase II funding to allow the ARS to complete construction of the facility and begin realizing the benefits that this facility will bring to both the ARS and the Woodward community. The Research Station provides economic opportunities for the citizens of Woodward, OK and contributes to USDA's mission of building a competitive agriculture economy while enhancing the natural resources base in the Southern Plains. This funding is necessary to implement the recommendations of the recent ARS review of facility needs at SPRRS: construction of a new greenhouse, a new laboratory, an office building, and new parking structures and site upgrades. According to USDA, 'The [SPRRS] laboratories are in dire need of repair and renovation.' This modernization is necessary for SPRRS to employ cutting-edge techniques and procedures in rangeland and pasture research.”