Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint cast their votes last week in favor of the Fiscal Year 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that contains more than $8.7 million for South Carolina related projects.

“I am pleased that our Congressional delegation worked together to secure funding for these projects,” said Graham.

South Carolina related projects funded in the bill include:

Charleston

• $3 million for modernization of the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory
• $100,000 for research on integrated disease management strategies on livestock and crops

Clemson University

• $1.19 million to for a land use change study
• $282,000 for crop/pest interaction study
• $278,000 for peach tree short life study

Florence

• $250,000 increase in funding for swine lagoon alternatives research at the Agricultural Research Station (ARS)
• The bill provides language permitting the purchase of land by the ARS research laboratory

South Carolina Related

• $3.94 million for the Southern Shrimp Alliance

The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Bush.

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