The federal government's favorite number is 77 million. When the United Nations reported in 2001 that the Earth's population was rising at a rate of 77 million people per year, President Bush cut funding to international family planning groups that provide abortions. When smallpox vaccines saw a jump in demand, the Department of Health and Human Services ordered 77 million more doses. When the United Nations needed money to combat famine in 2002, the United States donated enough money to feed 77 million people.

There are reports of 77 million baby boomers ready to retire by 2010 with secured Medicare benefits. The United States Forest Service reported 77 million hectares of forests damaged by fire in the lower 48 states. It's roughly estimated the world uses 77 million barrels of oil each day.

Last week, Bush asked Congress to set aside $77 million funds earmarked for agriculture research that focuses on homeland security. Those funds were targeted for land-grant universities, MSU included.

So is "77 million" a number on reserve for when federal officials don't exactly know the amount of something? It's a large, impressive number, nearly unfathomable in its nature and stature. 77 million, 18 kajillion, 40 days and 40 nights, the list could continue.

In no way is our criticism of Bush's discretionary spending an indictment of the federal government for making things up. What it is, however, is a red flag to signal Bush's over extension of discretionary spending while so many other federal research programs that do not deal with homeland security will take the hit.

Although it isn't prudent to look a gift horse in the mouth, it's practical to be skeptical of just how much of that magic $77 million is headed to East Lansing and what purpose it would serve. Currently, MSU's 2-year-old North Central Plant Diagnostic Network researches pests and pathogens in agriculture. At that, it's a relatively small portion of the MSU agriculture program.

With the emphasis on tagging more money for defense and homeland security, a small yet vital aspect of agriculture research will marginally benefit - again, MSU will not receive all $77 million - while other research programs will take a brutal right cross and hit the canvas.

With the $77 million boost in agriculture-cum-bioterrorism research, any federally funded research program not related to homeland security will be cut by 18 percent. To be sure, nearly a fifth of the money researchers are using to cure cancer, explore the heavens and keep the United States on the brink of technology will vanish with this proposal.

It's not fair to say we smell a rat in this deal. It truly isn't the case that Bush is pushing arbitrary figures up and down the national ledger. But, who is to say how effectively $77 million will protect our plants and animals from terrorism in a system only 2 years old and barely off the ground?

In the name of protecting our borders, we urge spending to maintain our safety. That aspect of federal funding is now regrettably necessary. But at the price of dramatically sacrificing research, we ask the decision-makers to reconsider.