Click on ESCOP Subcommittees to link to Annual Reports
ESCOP Executive Subcommittee
ESCOP Chair's Advisory Subcommittee
ESCOP Legislative Subcommittee
ESCOP Strategic Planning Subcommittee
ESCOP FY 99 and 00 Budget Development Subcommittee
ESCOP Nominations Subcommittee
ESCOP Resolutions Subcommittee
ESCOP-ACOP Leadership Development Subcommittee
ESCOP Genetic Resources Subcommittee
ESCOP Human Nutrition Subcommittee
ESCOP Pest Management Subcommittee
ESCOP Social Sciences Subcommittee
ESCOP Environmental Affairs Subcommittee
ESCOP-ECOP Task Force on Image Enhancement
ESCOP Regional Research Subcommittee

Executive Subcommittee Annual Report for 1998
Chair: D. Rossi

1. Activities Undertaken in the Past Year:

The Executive Subcommittee meets twice annually - once in the spring and once in the fall. It is charged with providing advice and direction to the Chair and other subcommittees between meetings of the fall committee. See the report for the Chairs Advisory Subcommittee for the major activities of their body.

2. Plans for the Upcoming Year:

Again refer to the report of the Chair's Advisory Subcommittee.

3. Requests for Approval of Special Activities:

No request.

4. Committee Membership Changes:

Only as necessitated by the restructuring activity.

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Chair's Advisory Subcommittee
Chair: D. Rossi

1. Activities Undertaken in the Past Year:

The Chair's Advisory Subcommittee is a subset of the Executive Subcommittee and meets regularly by teleconference to provide advice to the chair between meetings of the fall committee and the Executive Subcommittee. During their past year, the Subcommittee dealt with a broad array of issues. Primary focus was on the final passage and implementation of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act. In addition, the Subcommittee addressed FY 99 budget development and advocacy, a proposal to extend funding of SUNEI, development and planning for the Joint New Directors Workshop and National Directors Workshop, and completion and acceptance of the Strategic Plan. Particular attention was also given to a review of the ESCOP Subcommittee structure and development of an alternative structure.

2. Plans for the Upcoming Year:

While the new chair will prepare its own agenda, several issues of importance will likely be: implementation of the proposed restructuring and strategic plans; further development of advocacy and marketing plans; continuing enhancement of relations with our federal partner; and through the ongoing partnering activities of SUNEI, expanding funding opportunities for the SAES system.

3. Requests for Approval of Special Activities:

No request.

4. Committee Membership Changes:

No request.

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Legislative Committee
Chair: G. L. Cunningham

No report submitted.

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Subcommittee on Strategic Planning
Chair: David R. MacKenzie, Chair

1. Activities Undertaken During the Past Year:

The ESCOP Strategic Planning Subcommittee (ESCOP SPC) completed drafting of the Medium Term Plan for the Experiment Station Section. The draft (v.13.0) was submitted to ESCOP at the July, 1998 Asheville, NC meeting, with a request for ESCOP's approval to present it to the ESS membership at their September meeting, for formal adoption. Permission was granted by ESCOP, and a professional editor was commissioned to edit the draft document, but was not to change the plan's intent. The professionally-edited document was then posted (9/14) on the ESCOP Home Page, for ease of access by the ESS members. The Plan was adopted by ESS on September 24, 1998.

Additionally, the ESCOP SPC has met with the ECOP Strategic Planning Council three times this past year, to engage in jointly-sponsored futuring activities. Futuring topics have included projected changes in demographics, emerging technologies, and similar issues relevant to the future of the Land-Grant University's mission. Summary reports have been shared within the two committees. It is planned that these joint activities will work toward the development of a set of scenarios, each with a twenty year time frame. The products of this effort should be available by the end of 1999.

2. Plans for the Up-Coming Year:

The ESCOP-SPC plans to continue with our two meetings per year with ECOP-SPC, with the intention of completing the joint development of a set of scenarios.

Additionally, the ESCOP-SPC will be working on the development of procedures for priority setting. The intent of these procedures is to support the financial planning needs of the ESCOP Budget Committee. Once conceptualized and described in document form, the Committee's proposed priority-setting methods will be shared with the ESCOP Budget Committee.

3. Request for Approval of Specific Activities:

The ESCOP-SPC requests approval for continued futuring and scenario development with ECOP-SPC. Furthermore, the ESCOP-SPC requests an endorsement of our proposal to expend effort to develop national research priority-setting procedures.

4. Committee Membership Changes:

None requested at this time.

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ESCOP FY 1999 and 2000 Budget Development Subcommittee
Chair: T. L. Payne

1. Activities undertaken during the year:

At each of the meetings listed below, those present discussed the current status of the budgets, with specific attention given to focus for the base funds and special funding for genomics, IPM and other key initiatives. ESCOP supported focus of the base funds on food quality and safety, and agroecosystem management. Those two topics were also supported by other members of the BOA, including ECOP.

January 9, pre-meeting conference call with Dr. Lower; January 15, FY 2000 budget meeting; January 19-20, ESCOP meeting; February 5, FY 1999 conference call; February 9, pre-meeting conference call with Dr. Lower; February 11, FY 1999 budget meeting; March 11, budget conference call with Dr. Lower; April 17, pre-meeting conference call with Dr. Lower; April 20-21, FY 2000 budget meeting; April 29, budget conference call with Dr. Lower; May 12, Title VIII conference call; May 13, pre-meeting conference call with Dr. Lower; May 14, FY 2000 budget meeting; June 3, FY 2000 conference call; June 3, budget conference call with Dr. Lower and Dr. Helms; June 9, FY 2000 budget meeting; June 16, budget conference call with Dr. Lower July 20-25, ESCOP/ECOP/ACOP meetings; July 31, FY 2000 conference call; September 24, ESCOP meeting; October 29, FY 2000 budget meeting.

2. Plans for the coming year:

The budget committee will meet via conference call to develop the FY2000 request. To date a 6% base fund increase has been discussed and the two initiatives listed above will be the focus. In addition, the committee will discuss advocacy for the final budget developed. Conference calls will be keyed by pending BOA Budget Committee meetings. It has not been determined if a face-to-face meeting of the ESCOP committee will be held. The conference calls have been effective.

3. There were no requests for special activities.

4. The following is the membership for each committee:

FY 1999 T.L. Payne, Chair R.L. Lower, Executive Vice Chair W.R. Coffman J.S. Angle R.L. Todd G.E. Klonglan L.A. Crowder J. Boling

H.F. McHugh J.R. Carlson M. Floyd P.S. Benepal D.R. MacKenzie T.J. Helms R.D. Heil S.L. Donald

FY 2000 T.L. Payne, Chair R.L. Lower, Executive Vice Chair W.R. Coffman J.S. Angle G.E. Klonglan J. Boling

J.R. Carlson M. Floyd P.S. Benepal H.J. Vaux J.C. Wynne D.R. MacKenzie S.L. Donald

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ESCOP Nominations Subcommittee
Chair: C. Kaltenbach

1. Activities undertaken during the year:

The committee considered several candidates and recommended that Dr. Richard Jones, FL be nominated as Chair-Elect for 1998-1999. This was adopted at the July ESCOP Meeting in Asheville, N.C. According to the Rules of Operation, Dr. Darrell Nelson, current Chair-Elect will succeed to the position of Chair in 1998-1999.

2. Plans for the upcoming year:

N/A

3. Requests for approval of special activities:

N/A

4. Committee membership changes:

The committee should be reappointed with new membership for 1998-1999.

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Resolutions Subcommittee:
Chair: D. C. Coston

Nothing to report.

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ESCOP-ACOP Leadership Development Subcommittee
Chair: V. A. McCracken

No report submitted.

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Genetic Resources Subcommittee
Chair: R. L. Lower

1. Activities Undertaken During the Current Year:

The subcommittee has met via e-mail and telephone during 1997-98. Major items of discussion include the USDA genome initiative, a.k.a. The Agricultural Genome and the Food Genome; the joint ESCOP/CSREES activities on: 1) support for plant breeding of minor crops, and 2) gene enrichment of the germplasm collections; the survey and summary statement about IPR mechanisms used by SAESs for protecting plant germplasm; the Consumer Focus Group initiative for support of the NPGS.

The chair and other members of the subcommittee have met with the Undersecretary or Deputy Undersecretary of REE to discuss the USDA Genome Initiative on three occasions. Other meetings on genomics have been with the NAS, OSTP, ARI, IWG and industry representatives.

2. Major Issues or Opportunities:

All of the above activities are ongoing and vital to generation of research support for genetic resources.

The subcommittee must continue to be actively involved in the planning and implementation of these disparate, but closely related activities. The linkages between all activities must be better defined and prioritized before funding initiatives are developed and forwarded to or by the USDA.

3. Recommended Revisions to the Charge of the Subcommittee:

The existing charge is satisfactory. However, it needs refinement and its relationship to the budget committees (FY 00, 01) needs to be defined.

4. Plans for the Upcoming Year:

See 3 above.

5. Recommendations on Any Changes in Membership of the Subcommittee:

The new subcommittee structure will require significant changes in membership.

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Human Nutrition Subcommittee
Chair: R. D. Steele

Nothing to report.

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Pest Management Subcommittee Report
Chair: E. E. Ortman

The IPM Coordinator position, presently occupied by Dr. Harold Coble, a weed scientist from North Carolina State University, is set up as a one-year IPA. Dr. Coble is scheduled to return to North Carolina State January 1, 1999. The position provides a coordinating role for IPM across agencies within USDA. This has been accomplished through an IPM Coordinating committee with representation from all USDA agencies involved with IPM as well as EPA.

The primary planning and priority setting in the past year has been conducted by the regional IPM committees. Issues requiring national discussion have been addressed through conference calls of the National IPM Committee.

Each region is making a significant effort in highlighting accomplishments and in measuring success as the result of research and extension efforts in IPM. Color reports and web sites have been used to inform USDA officials, Congressional staff and others on what has been achieved with formula and competitive funding.

Except for formula funds, it appears that funding will be level for the 1999 fiscal year. As in the past, this lack of available funding impedes progress on the IPM Initiative as well as new programs critical to success of IPM in light of FQPA implementation.

Passage of the FQPA has the potential to have a devastating impact on he availability of pesticides for pest control. One scenario for example includes a cancellation of all organo-phosphates and possibly a major similar impact on carbamates. A conference/workshop was held in February in St. Louis, MO to explore the impact of FQPA and discuss IPM options.

In the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, Congress indicated one of the responsibilities of the Land Grant Institutions, in order to obtain formula funds, was to establish and implement a process for obtaining input from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or education concerning the use of the funds. The IPM program has operated in this manner for many years. When the IPM Initiative was announced in 1994, the first effort under the new initiative was to set up a system of obtaining stakeholder input regarding IPM needs.

Planning activities involving stakeholders were engaged across the country and 23 needs assessment statements were developed based on IPM commodity needs. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to generate federal support for the development and implementation of those programs. On a smaller scale, several projects have gone forward utilizing various resources.

Regional leadership of IPM and NAPIAP met in Washington, D.C., July 8-9, 1998 to develop a plan to address GPRA. A consensus was achieved in identifying objectives, outcomes and measurements for IPM adaptation by growers. NASS is involved in generating the data on pesticide use and IPM adoption.

Representatives of IR-4, PIPA and IPM are actively engaged in discussions to further coordinate and relate programs in order to optimize outputs and outcomes to the benefit of agriculture and the environment.

James P. Tette, Cornell University, ECOP
Eldon E. Ortman, Purdue University, ESCOP
September 1998

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Social Sciences Subcommittee
Chair: L. E. Swanson

No report

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Environmental Affairs Subcommittee
Chair: G. F. Arkin

1. 1997-98 Activities:

The subcommittee efforts were entirely directed at supporting and participating in the SAES/USDA/CSREES National Environmental Initiative (SUNEI). Activities focused primarily on strengthening and broadening the partnerships with EPA and NASA. Joint competitive grant programs were implemented with EPA, USDA and NSF. SAES faculty were engaged in EPA and NASA partnership conferences and meetings, peer review panels. SUNEI provided consultation to NASA and EPA concerning drafting their Call for Proposals.

The SUNEI partnership served as a clearing house for information via its Web Page and electronic communications and as an ambassador for engaging agencies and other entities interested in partnershipping to address environmental issues. SUNEI members have staffed and participated in a large number of regional NASA and EPA partnershipping efforts. SUNEI, through its project coordinator, has offered staff support to Dr. Miley Gonzalez, USDA, REE Under Secretary, to enhance the interagency partnershipping efforts initiated thus far.

For a more detailed description of SUNEI activities, visit the ESCOP Home Page (http://www.agnr.umd.edu/uses/escop/sunei/homepage.htm)

2. Plans for the Upcoming Year:

Continue to strengthen and broaden the engagements with NASA and EPA. Expand partnershipping activities to include other agencies (e.g., DOE, DOI and DOD). Continue dialogues with OSTP, NSF and participate in relevant USDA coordinating committees.

3. Requests for Approval of Special Activities:

None.

There are two important issues for ESCOP's consideration and deliberation:

a. Funding for partnership competitive grants programs. EPA and NASA have requested matching funds for mutually beneficial competitive grants programs. No formal mechanism appears in place for appropriate budgeting. This issue will no doubt surface in other partnership engagements and, unless resolved, will be an obstacle to leveraging resources and taking advantage of timely opportunities.

b. With NASA and EPA, there is an interest in assisting their budget efforts that would directly benefit SAES and system programs. SUNEI will need to work with AESOP Enterprises and appropriate congressional delegations in order to be effective. A more deliberate and expanded effort by AESOP Enterprises will be required.

4. Committee Membership Changes:

Replace Melvin Walker (1890s Georgia) with ___________.

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ESCOP-ECOP Task Force on Image Enhancement
Chair: T. J. Helms

1. Activities undertaken during 97/98:

October 1, 1997 - State representatives to regional impact teams met for a national impact writing workshop in Minneapolis on October 1, 1997. All regions met separately in the evening. This workshop was funded by CSREES/USDA and coordinated by North Dakota State University. Each participant state received an impact training packet the following May for use at their institution. It included sample impact statements, a video on accountability, a Power Point presentation for faculty training, and a set of hands-on exercises.

December 1997 - Web site for the 1998 National Impact Database submissions became active. All impact submissions for 1998 were directly submitted to the database via the World Wide Web.

January 1998 - Regional impact teams met from the West, North Central and Southern regions. The Northeast was unable to meet face-to-face. These regional meetings helped develop more effective submissions from each state to the national impact database. They also served as on-going training sessions for regional impact team state reps.

February 1998 - The 1998 national Science and Education impact writing effort was completed in Washington on February 15. This year we were able to develop 27 separate one-page impact reports on topics ranging from food safety and water quality to agricultural profitability and pest management. While refining the 1866 database submissions into the 27 topical reports we were able to use 565 references to Land-Grant system research, teaching, or extension work. The reports were required to go through editorial and design review at the USDA. Ultimately they were released on July 2, 1998.

March 1998 - Draft 1998 material from the Science and Education series was used in media relations for the 1998 Agricultural Outlook conference.

April 1998 - A workshop on impact development was held in Atlanta for the Deans and Directors of agriculture programs at 1890 institutions.

May 1998 - CSREES used draft material from the 1998 Science and Education impact series with publishers of national magazines, including Parade, Good Housekeeping, Self, Essence, Glamour, Redbook, Chemical Engineering, Business Week, and Gardener.

June 1998 - The national database submission process is being transferred to the Communication, Technology, and Distance Education unit (CTDE) of CSREES/USDA. The database submission process will be lead from Washington for 1999.

2. Plans for the upcoming year:

The ESCOP/ECOP Image Enhancement Committee is proposing another national workshop for regional impact teams in October 1998. The focus will be on furthering state's ability to develop more effective impact statements. Improvement of impact reporting at the faculty level has the best prospect for improving the overall effectiveness of reaching the target audience with material that will be read and used.
Following the same process as in previous years, the October workshop will kick off the 1999 Impact effort planned for mid February, 1999. Continued refinement of the database will allow for editing entries after they have been submitted. This will allow the database to become a dynamic resource which can be updated at any time during the year. In addition it will create an on-going database rather than a completely new database each year as has been the case in the past.

3. Requests for approval of special activities:

(n/a)

4. Committee membership changes:

Dr. T. J. Helms has requested that an AES director be found to replace him as a member of the committee.

Dr. David Foster, Director of Arkansas CES, has been appointed to replace Dr. Bob Gilliland as ECOP Co-Chair.

It is suggested that David King remain as a member of the committee.

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ESCOP REGIONAL RESEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE
Chair: Robert D. Heil

1. Activities undertaken during this year:

a. Revision of Regional Research Manual

A revised version of the Regional Research Manual is being developed in electronic format to reflect changes resulting from a) discontinuation of the Committee of Nine, and b) passage of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. The manual is being renamed "Regional Research Guidelines". The document will be web based and will become a part of the electronic data base being developed under item (b) below.

b. A web-based electronic reporting system for regional research is in the process of being "beta tested" and should be available for use before January 1, l999. The system will allow for submission of all reports associated with the conducting of regional research, including project outlines, annual reports, minutes of meetings and Form 89.

2. Plans for the Coming Year

a. Form 89 is under review and recommendations are being developed to address concerns associated with preparation and approval.

b. The electronic reporting system will be monitored to ensure the system is meeting needs.

c. Develop recommendations concerning NRSPs and NRPs relative to their being a part of the AES system research portfolio.

d. Continue to assess the impact of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of l998, on the conduct of the regional research program, particularly as it relates to multi-functional and multi-disciplinary requirements of the legislation.

3. Request for Approval of Special Activities

None

4. Committee Membership Changes

The committee will continue with the same membership as is currently in place.

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