CHARLESTON — Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said he wished for more enthusiasm toward rebuilding ag laboratories in the state following his review of Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024.
“I’m thrilled to finally see a line-item for laboratories within the budget bill, but I am disappointed that it’s only a soft commitment through the surplus section,” he stated. “With the Legislature looking to push historic policy changes, including record tax breaks, we need the same kind of enthusiasm toward rebuilding our labs.”
He added, “I am worried as we increase the overall budget by $200 million, spend down our ARPA dollars and pass these tax cuts, we will miss a once-in-a-generation chance to build state-of-the-art laboratories.”
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) conducted a 2019 study through ZMM Architects and Engineers to determine the best location for a new WVDA lab.
Since then, Leonhardt has been advocating for funding to be allocated to complete the project, which carries a price tag that has risen from $32 million to $74 million.
“We all agree that the conditions of our laboratory buildings are atrocious. That is why it is confusing, despite making it a part of his State of the State, the Governor put laboratory funding behind $250 million of surplus priorities,” Leonhardt said.
In his released statement, the Commissioner of Agriculture called on Justice and the Legislature to appropriate funding and tackle the issue before they “see another crisis.”
The Legislative Auditor’s Performance Research and Evaluation Division compiled a report in 2020 on state-owned laboratories, and all information from WVDA’s 2019 report was provided to show steps that had been taken to address the issue. Since the report’s filing, WVDA has worked with ZMM and CannonDesign, as well as six other agencies, to determine a plan for a co-located laboratory.
The proposed solution falls into the cost range of $796-$901 per square foot, without providing the expansion space incorporated by the previous WVDA plan. Additionally, the proposal is more expensive than the estimate determined by the WVDA study.
“We look forward to having a real discussion about the construction of new labs. We have some grave concerns with co-location and not adequately funding the project for future growth,” Leonhardt said.
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