OSU Cuts and Runs

Being a big fan of pollination as anyone who eats should be, I am saddened by the lack of progress being made at Oregon State University. Lately every news paper has been running articles on the collapse of honey bee colonies, and the most recent thing I read is that OSU isn’t even considering funding any honey bee research. Instead they are thrusting the burden on the agriculture industries to raise a million dollars for an endowment to fund a position.

This position was funded by OSU until their apiculturalist retired about five years ago. At that point Dean Thayne Dutson cut and ran and remained obtuse to any suggestion of restoring the position. He turned all negotiations over to associate Dean, Anita Azeranko, who seems to be more of a shill for the OSU Foundation than someone who would be willing to lobby for the importance of resumption of the program.

Dutson is now on his way out and will be replaced by Bill Boggess, as executive associate dean of Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Science. Hopefully Boggess will understand that if research isn’t done real soon the rest of his ag students better learn how to pollinate plants with paint brushes. They will be working harder, not smarter.

At present the local agricultural groups such as seed growers, orchardists, beekeepers, and others that need pollination to survive have raised about $25,000 with pledges that could probably double that figure. However they will never be able to raise enough to endow a position. As they near their goal the bar will be raised as it has been raised twice already.

WSU and UC Davis have departments working on this problem. How can OSUs agricultural program justify not being involved and shouldering some of the burdens that are being carried by other research institutions? Mr. Boggess, you have an opportunity to make your mark right here; right now.