As state lawmakers wrestle to whittle some four percent from the state budget in this special session, with expectations to do much more carving on the budget in a few weeks, maintaining the integrity of important programs and services is the hope of many. In this report, comments from Rep. Ralph Poppell, a citrus grower from Legislative District 29 in the Indian River production region who chairs the House Natural Resources Appropriations Committee. He says agriculture research must be considered one of the priority funding areas, for many reasons.
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