ORONO – As U.S. Rep. John Baldacci announced more than $3.5 million in agriculture research and development grants and funding Monday morning at the University of Maine’s Witter Farm, a loud “moooooo” emanated from a nearby feeding barn.

“Right on cue,” joked Baldacci. “The cows apparently approve of the funding levels.”

Surrounded by researchers with specialties in everything from weeds to wood, Baldacci stressed that the federal funding which comes to Maine leverages additional state and private funding. “This money will bring in more than $9 million in additional funds,” he said.

Joining Baldacci was Bruce Wiersma, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, who said, “Basically, the money we receive keeps this farm running.” He pointed to the feeding facility where the bawling cow could be heard as one of the projects directly resulting from federal funding.

Vital blueberry research, studies to help decrease or eliminate pesticide use, research to help protect Maine’s herds against disease, lobster studies, and value-added project research are just a few of the many research projects currently under way at UMaine.

“This information goes directly to the farmer,” said John Rebar of the Maine Agriculture Center. “For example, last year we had the army worm infestation and our phone rang off the hook.” By researching and gathering information, said Rebar, UMaine can provide farmers with the tools they need.

“The funding of the research is critically important for wild-blueberry growers,” said David Bell, executive director of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. “There is a great team conducting over a dozen research projects for us at the university, including value-added products. Small family businesses cannot afford research funds.”

Bell said that “not only are our natural resources businesses central to Maine’s economy, they are an area of growth. In blueberries, for example, we have tripled our crop in the past 15 years.”

The list of funding highlighted by Baldacci includes:

. ARS Potato Laboratory – $2.2 million. The Bush administration had proposed closing this lab, which provides vital research for Maine’s potato industry. The House and Senate appropriations bills both include funding to maintain the lab.

. Low bush blueberry research – $265,000, a $15,000 increase.

. Wood utilization grants — $845,000, a $20,000 increase.

. Potato variety research – $200,000, a $15,000 increase.

. Hatch Act and McIntire-Stennis Act funds – $185 million nationwide and $22.5 million nationwide, respectively, of which UMaine will receive approximately $2.2 million for a wide variety of wood and forestry research projects. The $2.2 million can be leveraged for more than $9.9 million and allows scientists to successfully compete for additional research funds from state and federal agencies.