WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today applauded Senate Passage of the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Report, which passed the House yesterday. The bill now heads to the president for his approval.

"I am pleased Congress has completed this year's Agriculture Appropriations process," said Brownback. "This bill has many projects important to the state of Kansas. I'm especially pleased about the funding for NBAF-related transitional research at Kansas State University, and the funding to move the Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Laboratory to Manhattan. Kansas is clearly the worldwide leader in animal health research, and continues to expand its leadership."

The following Kansas projects are included in the bill:

Polymer Research at Pittsburg State, $2 million

ABADRL funding to transition lab to Manhattan, $1.5 million

Veterinary Technology Satellite Programs at Colby Community College, $1 million

Phosphorous Reduction Research with the Kansas Livestock Association Foundation, $1 million

Yankee Tank Dam funding in Lawrence, $1 million

NBAF Transitional Funding for Research at K-State, $1.5 million

Great Plains Grain Sorghum Research at K-State, $1 million

Wheat Genetic Research at K-State, $1 million

Preharvest Food Safety Research at K-State, $500,000

Water Conservation Research at K-State, $500,000

National Ag Biosecurity Center at K-State, $500,000

Kansas Biobased Polymer Initiative with the Kansas Bioscience Authority, $750,000

Kansas Farm Bureau Foundation's Kansas Hometown Prosperity Alliance, $250,000.

Brownback continued, "In addition to construction funding in the DHS bill, the Agriculture Appropriations bill contained $1.5 million for Kansas State University to begin NBAF-transitional research. While construction on the new NBAF facility gets started, the important work of NBAF must continue; I'm pleased to see this funding that will help with the transitional process."