There are two things the state of Wisconsin is known for: the dairy industry and stem-cell research. Today, the state of California has a higher-producing dairy industry and currently has more money to fund stem- cell research. If Wisconsin wants to keep up, it must pony up.
Getting state funding for research is now an even bigger problem since Wisconsin's state budget is expected to be between $300 to $400 million in debt over the next two years.
Dr. James Thomson, the leading stem-cell researcher at UW-Madison, said on Tuesday that the state would have to spend $50 million annually to keep up with the $3 billion California has raised for stem-cell research.
Money for stem-cell research should come from both public and private funds, but it is paramount that the state finances the ground-breaking research that Thomson has made Wisconsin so well known.
If Thomson does not receive proper funding, he could potentially leave Wisconsin for another state where stem-cell research funding is a priority - like California. As a researcher, his fidelity will likely fall where funding best supports his work. Losing Thomson, with an economic recession looming, would hurt Wisconsin's economy in a major way.
In his State of the State address, Gov. Jim Doyle thanked Thomson for his outstanding research and catapulting Wisconsin past the Ivy League and California. Doyle said that the state must rely on and support innovators like Thomson to carry it during a nationwide economic downturn. The best way to show Thomson our appreciation is through financial support.
Doyle also mentioned Wisconsin's progress in the dairy industry, but according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, California continues to challenge Wisconsin's dairy production with high-yielding mega farms. To lose out to California in either of these industries - when we have the ability to keep pace - is unacceptable.
Wisconsin has been fighting an uphill battle in the dairy industry, but must take action to increase research funding so the state is not fighting a battle on two fronts.
