ORONO (AP) – Research facilities that serve the state’s agricultural industries are in jeopardy of losing federal funding under President Bush’s proposed agriculture budget, according to University of Maine officials.

The president’s budget proposal would cut $2.3 million out of the university’s $6 million land-grant research budget, said Bruce Wiersma, the university’s dean of natural sciences, forestry and agriculture.

If that happens, the university would be would be forced to close all five experimental farms, the university forest, animal diagnostic lab, soils analytical laboratory and the ornamentals garden and greenhouses. The cuts, he said, would be felt by the state’s potato, blueberry, apple, forestry and dairy industries.

The ripple effect would be further felt by household gardeners and homeowners, as the Cooperative Extension Service would be similarly affected.

“This would be a disaster,” Wiersma said. “These funds have been in place for 130 years and through the research funded have built the world’s cheapest, best and safest food supply.

“Do you want to develop a new product with fish or vegetables? We do it. Do you want to study the environmental impact of pesticide application? We do it. Do you want better water quality? We do it. Do you want to grow trees better? We do it,” Wiersma said.

The research stations, which employ 132 people, include five facilities from Aroostook County to the University of Maine in Orono to Highmoor Farm in Livermore and one experimental forest.

“Without these support facilities, applied research would virtually come to a halt,” Wiersma said.

Maine’s agriculture leaders are concerned about other program cuts that are proposed, but what has them most worried is the chance of losing the research stations.

“This research is critical to Maine’s potato industry,” said Don Flannery of the Maine Potato Board. “Ninety percent of all our research on late blight, breeding, crop rot – soup to nuts, actually – all of it is conducted in the research station here.”

Flannery said the research station’s integrated pest management program alone saved farmers more than $1 million in pesticide applications last year because a study showed how chemical use could be reduced.

“There is no way these cuts could be made up either at the state level or by the industry,” Flannery said.

David Bell of the wild blueberry industry said that since wild blueberries are grown only in Maine, the University of Maine research station at Orono is the only place in the country where the industry’s research is conducted.

“This is a very robust research center,” Bell said. “We have at least two dozen ongoing projects. These cuts will severely hurt our industry.”

Wiersma is banking on Congress’ reputation as a staunch supporter of farm funds to save Maine’s funding.

“I have to really believe this will be turned around. If not, I’m done,” he said.