AGENDA BRIEFS

Agenda Item 1.0: Call to order
Presenter: D. C. Coston (Chair)

Action Taken: Approved

Action Requested: Approval of the ESS 2004 Agenda and the 2003 Minutes. 

Action Taken: Approved

Background Information: 

• Sent letter to John Phillips suggesting the 1994s appoint an official 1994 representative to ESCOP.
• Approved wording changes for the ESS Rules of Operation
• Forwarded ESCOP nominations to NASULGC.
• Followed up with Ian Maw on the NASULGC Presidents' discussion regarding the Land Grant Mission.
• Appointed an ESS Resolutions Committee

Action Requested: Approval of the Interim Actions. 

Action Taken: Approved
 

Agenda Item 4.0: NIMSS Update and Budget Vote
Presenter: Eric Young

Background Information: 
NIMSS has undergone a major reconstruction.  The purpose of the upgrade was to increase NIMSS’ functionality by re-designing the framework with which users are registered and assigned access.  In the new version, menus are customized according to the user’s profile and level of authorization.  Rubie Mize (NERA) will give a brief overview of the new NIMSS.

Below is the proposed 2004/05 NIMSS budget, accepted by the NIMSS Oversight Committee and ESCOP.  It is proposed that Section funds currently on deposit with NASULGC be used for 2004/05.  Also, it is proposed that the NIMSS budget in future years, beginning with 2005/06, be included as a separate line item in the NRSP-1 budget.  NIMSS would still be maintained by the NE Regional Association office on a University of Maryland server under the guidance of the NIMSS Oversight Committee.

NIMSS 2004/05 Budget  
Projected Expenses  (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005)

Background Information: 

• Removing references to IEGs and substituting ERAs.

• Referencing the Guidelines for NRSPs.

• Adding the table of description for the various activities/committees allowed.

• Acknowledging that ARS scientists can authorize their participation themselves.

• Changing the wording on two year election of chairs to "encouraged."

• Identifying NIMSS as the repository of all information pertaining to multistate activities/projects.

• Acknowledging that the AA is responsible for submitting the SAES 422 but not for generating it.

• Acknowledging that CRIS forms will be the method reporting a participant's individual contribution to a project/activity.

• In the Glossary, add NIMSS definition and NRSPs are governed by NRSP Guidelines.

• Add Procedures and Activities section to App B for ERAs and CCs.

Action Requested: Approval of the changes. 

Action Taken: Approved with clarifications to be added to p. 24 re: removal of text on Ad Hoc committees and "Research Coordinating Committees." 

Background Information: 
All material used to review the NRSP projects between Sept 2003 and Sept 2004 was posted on the web for review by ESS members.  For more information after Oct. 1, 2004, contact the NCRA Office. 

The NRSP Review Committee also recommends the formation of a National Plant Germplasm Taskforce.  They will charge this task force with:

• SAES participation in the NPGS

• Relationship to ARS in NPGS

• Funding mechanisms to support NPGS

• Management systems for NPGS

• Relationship to industry regarding NPGS

Action Requested: Vote on all NRSP Proposals and/or Budgets.  Vote on amendments to the NRSP Guidelines.  Vote on the formation of a National Plant Germplasm Taskforce. 

Action Taken: The Experiment Station Directors will submit their voting ballots during the coffee break.  Results will be reported under Agenda Item 13.0.  The ESS members approved the revisions to the NRSP Guidelines and the formation of the ESCOP National Plant Germplasm Taskforce. 
 

Background Information: 
NIAS supported the focus on food and agricultural issues as the Department of Homeland Security selected topics for two of the new university Centers of Excellence.  On behalf of NIAS, the Executive Director served on a DHS/University Merit Review Panel and a site evaluation team during the selection of the centers.  The NIAS Executive Director has been asked by DHS to serve as a technical advisor on university programs addressing food and agriculture.  NIAS is supporting an expansion of funding for agricultural and rural issues through future DHS programs in discussions with the White House Council on Homeland Security, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and DHS.  NIAS has been invited to participate in workshops at the National Academy of Sciences / National Research Council, including: Educational Paradigms for Homeland Security and National Needs for Veterinary Research.  NIAS has worked with the private sector and DHS’s Directorate of Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection and participated in the creation and initial meeting of a Food and Agriculture Sector Council.  NIAS is an auxiliary member of the private sector Plant Production and Animal Production Subcouncils.  NIAS is providing the lead in implementing a USDA/CSREES grant awarded to OSU for developing management tools for handling hazardous non-select agents, which will be presented at the SAES/ARD 2004 Workshop. 

Action Requested: None, for information only.

Action Taken: No action taken.

Information Reported to the Group: 
 

1. FY 05 Budget:  Likely have a continuing resolution.
2. FY 06 Budget:  About to leave USDA for OMB.  First year in some time that CSREES did not appeal the budget recommendations.
3. Personnel:  Two new Deputy Administrators in the last two years.  Will hire new Deputy Administrator in Economic and Community Systems.  The challenge for this area is, “What is the research agenda?”  What are the knowledge needs?  Who needs to know  what?  Terry Meisenbach is retiring.  A search for a new Communications Director is underway.
4. Audit of CSREES implementation of AREERA (plans of work and annual reports) by OIG:  The audit report is on the CSREES website.  CSREES has responded to OIG concerns.  Where concerns persist, CSREES will work with the individual institution to resolve the issue(s). 
5. MRF Rules:  They are at OMB.  OMB has asked for further clarification and the agency is responding by pointing out the competitive nature of the MRF.  CSREES staff will meet with OMB personnel in the near future.
6. Performance Assessment and Rating Tool (PART):  Preparing for PART was a valuable exercise for CSREES.  The External Peer Panels offered some excellent suggestions on program and tracking systems for the agency.  CSREES will integrate Cooperative Extension and Higher Education programs into a reporting system that expands CRIS.  This is currently under development and will be reviewed by ESCOP ands ECOP at the appropriate time. This represents the “One Solution” Reporting System.
7. New Deans/Directors Workshop:  CSREES is pleased to participate in this workshop.  Several NPLs will be participants and some of the speakers are CSREES staff. The workshop is December 8-10.
8. Civil Rights Guidelines:  Curt Deville has completed another draft and Gary currently has it for review. The guidelines have been separated into those for Experiment Stations and those for Cooperative Extension.  The drafts will go to the ad hoc review group (Bill Trumble and Margaret Dentine represent ESCOP) in the near future.           

Action Requested: None requested.

Action Taken: None; for information only.

Background Information: 
Representatives from ESCOP/ECOP (William Trumble - U of New Hampshire, Margaret Dentine - U Wisconsin, Nancy Bull - U Conn, Storrs, and Charles Norman - U Tennessee) met May 10th with Curt Deville and Gary Cunningham in Washington DC to discuss the matter of the CSREES Draft Civil Rights Compliance Review Instrument. The session focused on matters in the draft review guide that warrant our attention and provide an appropriate perspective, clarity, objectivity and simplicity to the final document. Our input will be used to help clarify the guidelines so that (1) there is an appropriate translation of research and extension language in the review document, (2) a proper delineation of jurisdiction and EEO/Civil rights authority within the land grant university is identified, (3) the review instrument is relevant and accurately reflects on the differences between research projects and extension programs in the university setting, and (4) the review instrument encompasses the full scope of the university's civil rights obligations.

CSREES indicated a commitment to have a modified draft review instrument to the ESCOP/ECOP representatives by May 28th. However legal matters and Mr. Deville's schedule prevented this from occurring.

On behalf of the membership, ESCOP queried Mr. Deville on the status of the guidelines on August 25. No response has been received to date. See attached letter from Ian Gray to Curt Deville.

Action Requested: None; for information only. 

Discussion: The guidelines are currently with Gary Cunningham and he hopes to have them distributed within the next few weeks.  The guidelines will be used as soon as the directors are satisfied with them. 

Action Taken: Approved

Background Information: 

ACTIONS  TAKEN  AT THE BAA-PBD MEETING  JULY 25, 2004

• Discussed and clarified the procedure for replacing the Advocacy Chair of the Budget and Advocacy Committee – the slate of nominees will come from the Administrative Heads Section and the Chair of the Policy Board of Directors will make the selection

• Requested the NASULGC staff to continue to send original assessment invoices to the Administrative Heads Section (including the Extension directors who qualified as AHS members)
• Approved the assessment for e-Extension (as adopted by the Cooperative Extension Section) and agreed to have it added to the invoice sent from NASULGC to the Administrative Heads Section in January 2005
• Reconfirmed the meeting dates for the PBD:  
  
  • September 12-13, 2004 at NASULGC in Washington, DC (the meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m. depending on the agenda and conclude by mid-afternoon on the final day)  
  • November 15-16, 2004 at the NASULGC Annual Meeting in San Diego, California  

• Reviewed and approved the criteria and nominee(s) for the Congressional Champion’s Award as submitted by the Budget and Advocacy Committee
• Approved a one-time expense of $15,000 for the purchase of the Congressional Champion’s Awards (12 awards) with the remaining $5,000 being paid by the Budget and Advocacy Committee
• Requested that an invitation be extended to Vic Lechtenberg for the PBD meeting in September and William Danforth for the Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA to discuss the report of the Research, Education, and Economics Task Force (Moser and Neufville)
• Agreed to terminate the National Leadership Conference at the recommendation of the committee formed to look at the event
• Requested Nancy Bull to summarize the results of the BAA structure survey (reporting by sections and institutions) at the September PBD meeting (Bull)
• Requested the NASULGC staff to resend the e-mail to the section chairs of the BAA asking for a report from each section on what the section has done in relation to the engaged university document and the barriers to implementation – all feedback should be submitted to Eddie Gouge by close of business on August 20, 2004
• Accepted a request from the territories and insular areas to have a representative on the Farm Bill Committee and Chairman Moser appointed Jeff Barcinas (Uni-versity of Guam) as the representative; Eddie Gouge was asked to prepare a letter to Jeff Barcinas and Jeff Armstrong informing them of the appointment.  
• Requested the sections of the Board that had not named a representative to the Science/Education Exhibition Planning Committee to do so
• Asked Mort Neufville to contact Jim Fischer at the Department of Energy about participating in the NASULGC Annual Meeting program  
• Requested Chairman Moser to send a letter to John Byrne and Stan Johnson asking them to do at presentation at the NASULGC Annual Meeting (10:15 a.m. session on Monday, November 15, 2004) on the land-grant mission as a follow up to the engagement document  
• Asked that a letter be sent out from Chairman Moser by August 6, 2004 encouraging the land-grant system and the Food and Society project to participate in the World Food Prize activities  

Action Requested: None, for information only.  

Action Taken: No action taken.

Background Information: 

FY 05 Budget: The House passed the Ag Approps Bill June 23.  The bill as it affects CSREES and our programs was distributed to all directors and can be found on the BAC website.  Clearly the system did not get everything it wanted especially in the area of minority serving institutions and in restoration of all the cuts from FY 04.  However, there is a significant increase ($16M) in the NRI and the Hatch budget was increased slightly (a real accomplishment).  Given the budget situation, the requirement for allocation of funds to the new Department of Homeland Security, and the funds needed for DOD, the net result of the House budget is very favorable.  The Senate Ag Approps Subcommittee reported out its recommendations.  The attachments point out the House and Senate recommendations and how the lobbying action fared on the priorities for the FY 05 budget (not bad!).  

FY 06 Budget:  ESCOP has submitted its priorities to the BAC.  The priorities are very general and you all will have an opportunity to have input through Session 3 at the following SAES/ARD workshop.  The plan is to have a greater degree of specificity by the NASULGC annual meeting in November followed by really specific recommendations within a week following the release of the President’s FY 06 budget (scheduled for early to mid-February). 

Rural Renaissance Act: Senator Norm Coleman (MN) introduced a bill in support of rural economic development (S.1796) entitled: A bill to revitalize rural America and rebuild main street, and for other purposes (sponsor: Sen Coleman, Norm [MN] (introduced 10/29/2003); cosponsors: Sen DeWine [OH], Sen Graham [SC], Sen Pryor [AR]).  The NASULGC Presidents’ Council has embraced the bill and is fully supportive of the bill.  The President of the University of Minnesota is leading the charge and will call on all members of the NASULGC family to support the bill as need arises.  Basically, the Bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish the Rural Renaissance Corporation to authorize issuance of rural renaissance bonds for financing qualified projects.  Furthermore the bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a limited credit to the holder of a rural renaissance bond, sets an annual rural renaissance bond limit, and provides for allocation among the States. Qualified projects include: (1) a water or waste treatment project; (2) a conservation project, including any project to protect water quality or air quality (including odor abatement), any project to prevent soil erosion, and any project to protect wildlife habitat, including any project to assist agricultural producers in complying with Federal, State, or local regulations; (3) an affordable housing project; (4) a community facility project, including hospitals, fire and police stations, and nursing and assisted-living facilities; (5) a value-added agriculture or renewable energy facility project for agricultural producers or farmer-owned entities, including any project to promote the production or processing of ethanol, biodiesel, animal waste, biomass, raw commodities, or wind as a fuel; (6) a rural venture capital project for, among others, farmer-owned entities; (7) a distance learning or telemedicine project; (8) a project to expand broadband technology; and (9) a rural teleworks project.  According to the BRT, nothing has happened with the bill in the Senate nor has a companion bill been introduced in the House.

Farm Bill:  All of the COPs are now working on the Farm Bill.  Chair Jeff Armstrong had a teleconference recently to set up the committee. Current thinking in Congress is that the Farm Bill will come up sooner than its 2007 expiration date.  There are five subcommittees for the five most relevant subtitles.  ESCOP has already recommended the appointment of ESCOP members to each of the subcommittee and the Steering Committee.  Those recommendations are: Conservation - Henry Vaux (CA);  Rural Development - Alfred Parks (Prairie View A&M); Energy - Kevin Kephart (SD); Research and Education - Bill Brown (LA); Forestry - Bruce Wiersma (ME); Steering Committee – LeRoy Daugherty (NM) and Tom Fretz (NERA).  The deans have enlisted the assistance of the EDs and each (10 in all)have been assigned to specific subtitles.  LeRoy Daugherty and Tom Fretz will be coordinating ESCOP’s engagement in this process.

F.Y. 2005 Senate Mark Compared to House Mark, President's Request, and Prior Year Appropriations

F. Y. 2005 Budget Request for Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service
Budget and Advocacy Committee — Board on Agriculture Assembly
National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges 

NASULGC Requests Compared to House and Senate Marks – September 15, 2004

Action Requested: We need a new representative to the Farm Bill Subcommittee on Research and Education.  One member of the B/L Committee has suggested Lee Sommers.

Action Taken: No action taken.

Background Information: 
The ESCOP Communication and Marketing Committee met September 14, 2004 in Washington, DC. Discussion focused on the Counterfactual Study and the development of a lay piece for use in supporting the ongoing effort to retain and grow federal formula funds. The committee has agreed to support and proceed with the publication of a 4-color lay publication for use in lobbying efforts - Formula for Success - The Case for Federal Formula Funds for Agricultural Research. Fretz will work with the Agricultural Communications office at Iowa State to develop the final copy. Target date for completion of this effort is November 2004, so that this publication can be used as part of the package of materials in support of the FY 06 Federal budget request for formula funds.

In addition the committee is supportive of the Science on the Hill Exhibit planned for March 1, 2005 and supports the need for a featured exhibit on the Science Roadmap.

The committee will focus continued discussion and future efforts on the effective use of Impact Statements that are requested by the system and on the need for more effective partnerships with federal agencies.

Action Requested: For information only.  No action requested. 

Action Taken: No action taken.

Background Information: Refer to information above. 

Action Requested: For information only.  No action requested. 

Action Taken: No action taken.

Background Information: 

The Science & Technology Committee met on March 1 in Washington, D.C. and discussed the following topics.

1. Recommend ways that ESCOP can assist the PIPRA initiative in its humanitarian mission relative to intellectual property generated by public universities.

• The NASULGC Council of Presidents (VPs for Research) should consider this issue.

• What would we consider humanitarian purposes. Would we include minor use crops or all crops used for food?

• IR4 may be a model to look at for a process to use patents on minor crops.

• Leverage genomics technology for use in the developing world-Global Challenge Program.   Robert Ziegler is now its director. Suggest communication with him and exploring some sort of collaboration.

•  PIPRA subcommittee will explore this further (Nancy Cox, Steve Pueppke, and Bill Brown.

2. Conduct a more in-depth, validated needs assessment of the Science Roadmap for Agriculture.  

Background Information: 

1. A meeting of the committee was held with members of the Planning Committee who were in attendance at the COPS meeting in Orlando, July, 2004.

2. A Planning Committee meeting will be held during the SAES/ARD meeting in Oklahoma City, September, 2004.

3. Operational Plan for the Science Roadmap (refer to Item 12.4.3 below). 

Action Requested: Approve proposed Operational Plan for the Science Roadmap.

Discussion: LeRoy Daugherty will take over as chair of this committee pending the close of the ESS meeting. 

Action Taken: Approved.

Background Information: 
The Operational Plan for the Science Roadmap was reviewed by ESCOP at the Orlando meeting and will be presented at the ESS meeting in September.  The Plan was finalized by the committee and reviewed by the ESCOP Chair's Advisory Committee prior to presentation to ESCOP.

OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE SCIENCE ROADMAP
DRAFT DOCUMENT CREATED 2/24/04 BY ESCOP PLANNING COMMITTEE

The purpose of this plan is to identify an operational plan that can be used to meet the seven challenges identified in the Science Roadmap.  One overall goal has been identified for the plan;  four topics were identified that are important to the achievement of that goal, with strategies for each topic.  The Plan was intentionally written to provide broad, simple and basic guidance, with the realization that regions and stations would need to build goals to meet their particular challenges and needs.

GOAL:  CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL RESEARCH ENTITIES TO WORK TOGETHER, AND WITH EXTENSION AND EDUCATION, TO ADDRESS THE SEVEN CHALLENGE AREAS IDENTIFIED IN THE SCIENCE ROADMAP: BE COMPETITIVE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY; ADD VALUE TO OUR FUTURE HARVESTS; ADJUST AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES TO A CHANGING CLIMATE;  BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES; MAKE OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES STRONG; AND, IMPROVE FOODS AND PROCESSING FOR BETTER HEALTH.

TOPIC 1 - STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION - STRATEGIES:

1) Recruit and support champions; people and organizations who are recognized by all partners as leaders.

2) Leverage resources and expertise through multiple partners (federal and state agencies, and other campuses) to strengthen research.

3) Use the food systems approach to establish the role of agriculture in societal issues.

4) Establish mechanisms to insure stakeholders' input is heard (advisory groups, focus groups).

5) Identify organizational structures that allow for and encourage collaboration, and create incentives to encourage collaboration (National Research Initiative Coordinated Agriculture Program, Multistate Research Funding process, integrated research, education and extension projects, National Research Initiative).

6) Create a system that better differentiates and identifies "niches" and builds on these so response time for addressing issues and problems can be quicker.


TOPIC 2 - PERSONNEL AND EXPERTISE - STRATEGIES:

1) Identify capacity and"gaps", including gaps in education among diverse groups.

2) Actively recruit persons from all segments of society to educate and train the next generation of researchers to meet the 7 challenges.

3) Utilize expertise without regard to location and discipline (across campus, among campuses, domestically as well as internationally).

4) Maximize the use of technology, where appropriate.

5) Provide incentives to encourage collaboration (release time, awards, salary stipend, hourly assistant, etc.).

6) Create joint programs to leverage resources (for example, World Food Distribution training programs offered through Texas universities; Great Plains IDEA).


TOPIC 3 - INFRASTRUCTURE/FACILITIES - STRATEGIES:

1) Establish a network of service centers (equipment used by many researchers;  pay uses fee for service).

2) Share equipment and facilities to better utilize resources and minimize duplication.

3) Create matching sources of support for centralized service and/or shared equipment and facilities (as existing NIH or NSF programs).

4) Create Memo's of Agreement and/or Memo's of Understanding with Plans of Work to encourage sharing of new and existing equipment and facilities.


TOPIC 4 - FUNDING AND SUPPORT - STRATEGIES:

1) Create incentives to encourage pursuit of grants and contracts, for an example overload pay, grantsmanship training.

2) Create an incentive fund in competitive grants programs to provide matching funds for pooling resources (facilities, equipment and personnel).

3) Create a core-center approach to attract funds and promote multi-disciplinary participation in projects to which people can relate, for example obesity, renewable energy.

Vote on Alfred L. Parks, nominee for ESCOP Chair 

Background Information: 

Alfred L. Parks is a Professor of Agricultural Economics and Research Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX.  He is a native of New Edinburg, Arkansas and received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.  He received both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Parks joined the faculty at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA in 1972 and while at Southern University, he served for two (2) years on a capacity building team at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon, West Africa.  He joined the faculty at Prairie View A&M University in 1977 as a Department Head of Agricultural Economics.  Over the past 27 years he has served in various capacities, including his current capacity as Associate Dean and Research Director of the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center.  He is highly published with over 100 articles, abstracts, book chapters, and manuscripts to his credit.  He has received numerous awards for his teaching excellence and has been recognized by the American Agricultural Economics Association as an Outstanding Agricultural Economist.  He serves on many local, state, national, and international committees, and has traveled extensive throughout West Africa, Mexico and Central America.

Action Requested: Approval by voice vote. 

Action Taken: Approved Al Parks as ESCOP chair-elect.  Scott Angle will remain nominations chair in place of Ian Gray. 

 

Resolution of appreciation for Dr. J. Ian Gray. WHEREAS, Dr. J. Ian Gray, Chairman of the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy and Experiment Station Section, has provided selfless and committed leadership and keen oversight to enhance the system, and WHEREAS, under Dr. Gray's leadership and support, the activities of ESCOP committees have been greatly enhanced and have achieved significant accomplishments, and WHEREAS, Dr. Gray has provided outstanding leadership in the area of planning, and WHEREAS, Dr. Gray has provided outstanding leadership in building relationships with ECOP, ACOP, ICOP, NASULGC, and CSREES/USDA, and WHEREAS, Dr. Gray has been efficient and timely in the conduct of ESCOP business, therefore LET IT BE KNOWN, that the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy and the Experiment Station Section recognize Dr. Gray's invaluable contribution and service to the national agricultural research system, and THEREFORE, on this day of September 27, 2004, the Experiment Station Section and the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy resolve to extend their sincere gratitude for his commitment, service, and leadership for help in making the system more effective in addressing current and future needs, challenges and opportunities in agricultural research.

Action Requested: Approval. Action Taken: Approved.

Background Information: The NRSP Review Committee recommendations were presented under Agenda Item 7.0 above.  The results of that vote will be presented at this point in the ESS meeting.  

Action Requested: None; for information only. 

Action Taken: All NRSP projects were approved as presented by the NRSP Review Committee

NRSP1: unanimous
NRSP4: 34 Yes/9 No
NRSP7: unanimous

NRSP3: 43 Yes/2 No
NRSP5: 40 Yes/5 No
NRSP8: 43 Yes/2 No

NRSP6: 38 Yes/7 No

Please forward all new suggestions/comments to the NRSP Review Committee for consideration during next year's review process. 

Action Requested: ESCOP Executive Committee will meet at 7:15 am 9/28/04 before the workshop begins.