M A R C H 2 0 1 8 POTATO GROWER 9 receive a full year of funding for the programs they oversee. Instead they can only be confident in receiving the fragment of funding that the temporary Continuing Resolution provides. For programs such as agricultural research, the result is that announcements of funding for researchers are held up. This results in a constrained application period for new projects and ongoing proj- ects that see the revenue supporting them arriving in fits and starts, with a possibility that it doesn’t arrive at all. This means that the funding for potato research that flows through the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture is not being deliv- ered at its full value and impairing the vital research it is intended to support. Given this challenging recent histo- ry, it is extremely positive that the House and Senate were able to pro- duce a two-year budget agreement that has paved the way for complet- ing the fiscal year 2018 appropria- tions process and a solid foundation for the 2019 process as well. At its core, these are the most basic of the responsibilities of our Congressional leadership. This agreement gives us some optimism that this success may lead to others such as a Farm Bill being reauthorized in 2018. Healthy Fie Fumigation with elds. Healthy Y omotes pr ields. Y oot TM early r By develo oving Quality and impr gets comm opment, tar Fumigation with d Y e omotes mon scab, and suppr pr ield, incr ofit. eases your pr r esses verticillium wilt. oot early r e informa we hav For more If you hav ation visit strikefumigant ve the solution ve scab proble ts.com n. riEstAg.com ems, .Tr www g.com There are pervasive consequences to the threats and the “Continuing Resolutions” that are Congress and the Administration’s way of avoiding the issue temporarily.