Some $30,000 designated for the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station was eliminated from the 2008 budget with the signature of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Nikki Rothwell, director of the research station located in Bingham Township, confirmed Thursday that money earmarked for the organization was eliminated. According to the governor’s veto message, the funding was axed because it “specialized in cherry industry research,” which she stated was “not part of the core functions” of the Department of Agriculture.

“We were looking forward to purchasing some new lab equipment with that money,” Rothwell said. “We were hoping to get some use of it here. Now, we’ll have to take our samples to facilities downstate which is not a very efficient way to operate.”

The veto raised the ire of Sen. Michelle McManus (R-Lake Leelanau), whose family grows cherries in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties.

“The governor has again turned her back on northern Michigan,” McManus said. “The research conducted at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station plays a critical role in the success of our agricultural economy. At a time when our state continues to struggle, we need to seek innovative ways to diversify our economy. This come as a serious setback for our region.”

Specifically, the equipment would have been put to use in studies of “powdery mildew,” which affects cherry and grape production.

There are approximately 70 applied research projects under way at the research state. While much of the work focuses on cherries, research also is conducted on several other crops, including apples, plums, wine grapes, peaches, apricots, pears, chestnuts and hazelnuts and other potential horticultural crops for northwest and west central Michigan.

Northwest Michigan produced 120 to 150 million pounds of tart cherries and approximately 50 million pounds of sweet cherries annually. Michigan produces 75 percent of the tart cherries in the U.S. and is one of four major producers of sweet cherries.