News-Record.com

Last year I wrote a couple times (here and here) about a scrape over the state's agricultural research stations. From one story:

But a proposal by state senators to transfer management of the 18 research stations from the Department of Agriculture to N.C. State has sparked an argument involving land conservation, government efficiency and the state’s $20 billion budget.

The provision was eventually booted from the budget, but is now apparently under study by the legislature's professional research staff. In particular, a new division designed to root out waste has taken aim. From columnist Scott Mooneyham:

A draft report already prepared by the division recommends closing seven of the 18 stations, selling the land for an estimated $54.7 million and generating $3.9 million in annual savings. The remaining stations would be operated by N.C. State and N.C. A&T State universities. Currently, the state Department of Agriculture operates most the stations.

The seven stations that would be closed encompass nearly 6,900 acres and have 55 full-time employees.

One key finding in the report: Only a couple of other states operate more agriculture research stations than North Carolina; California and Texas have fewer.

[snip]

But the issue is bigger than just the consolidation of agricultural research stations.

These recommendations are really a test case for this notion that the legislature can set aside cronyism and turf protection and the pork barrel mentality. Will these analysts provide independent, objective assessments that are heeded by legislators, or will they ultimately serve up justification for the political whims of their political masters?

Click here to read the whole column.