Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sees the big picture regarding the state’s proposed transfer of research farms to N.C. State. Troxler doesn’t like Wolfpack research head’s Joe Leath’s suggestion that the university might sell some of the land:
Leath acknowledges that if granted control, the university would likely sell some of the stations and use the proceeds to expand and make improvements at other farms.
Troxler said that many of the farms are in areas primed for development. Selling them makes little sense at a time when legislators are also considering plowing money into a $1 billion bond to conserve open space.
“On one hand, there’s this million-acre initiative and we’re buying land to conserve it,” Troxler said.
“On the other hand, we’ve already got the land and it’s some of the nicest land in North Carolina and we’re saying, ‘Sell it’? This doesn’t make sense.”
Thanks for saying that, Commissioner, although the billion-dollar bond to conserve open space doesn’t make sense, period.
I see both sides of the issue, but keep in mind we’re talking about a $2 million negotiation in a $20-odd billion budget. Big whoop.
