Ohio State to close two research sites

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center is closing two of its 10 research stations: the southern branch in Brown County and the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed in Coshocton County.

OARDC Director Steven Slack, who is wrestling with budget cuts of $1.4 million this fiscal year and a permanent 6 percent cut of $2.1 million in fiscal year 2005, said the closings will save approximately $400,000.

Six employees, three at each location, have been offered severance packages

Doesn’t affect USDA work. The Coshocton County watershed research center was operated for the past 30 years with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. OARDC’s action involves only its commitment; USDA operations and employees will remain.

Research will be moved to two other OARDC stations in the Appalachian region: the Eastern Agricultural Research Station in Noble County and the Jackson Agricultural Research Station in Jackson County, Slack said.

What’s left. In addition to the Eastern and Jackson locations, OARDC’s remaining branches include the Ashtabula Agricultural Research Station, Ashtabula County; the Muck Crops Agricultural Research Station, Huron County; the North Central Agricultural Research Station, Sandusky county; the Northwestern Agricultural Research Station, Wood County; the Pomerene Forest Laboratory, Coshocton County; and the Western Agricultural Research Station, Clark County.

The research center is headquartered in Wooster.