ASRED/agInnovation South/S-AHS/S-CARET Joint Spring Meeting
April 25 – 28, 2016
 Joint and agInnovation South Agenda
Participants:  Rick Bennett, KY, Wes Burger, MS, Jackie Burns, FL, Bob Godfrey, VI, George Hopper, MS, Esbal Jimenez, PR, Sherry Larkin, FL, Steve Lommel, NC, Nathan McKinney, AR, Reuben Moore, MS, Saied Mostaghimi, VA, Craig Nessler, TX, Lesley Oliver, KY , Steve Oliver, TN, Keith Owens, OK, Randy Raper, OK, Chris Ray, SC, John Russin, LA, Harald Scherm, GA, Bob Shulstad, GA, Clarence Watson, AR, Joe West, GA and Tom Zimmerman, VI
Executive Director’s Office: Eric Young, agInnovation South
Liaisons: Deborah Brennan, ARS and Denise Eblen, USDA/NIFA
Action Items:

 Agenda#  Actions Taken
S1 Agenda – Approved (Craig Nessler/Saied Mostaghimi)
September 28, 2015 agInnovation South Minutes – Approved (Rick Bennett/Saied Mostaghimi
Interim Actions – Approved (George Hopper/Saied Mostaghimi)
S5 Approved S-009 FY’2017 budget $479,892.00 – Approved 
S19 A Resolution of Appreciation was presented to Dr. Bob Godfrey and the University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station for their role in hosting the Joint ASRED/agInnovation South Spring Meeting.  Resolutions were approved by acclamation

 
Minutes:

Monday, April 25
6:00 – 8:00 Joint Welcome Reception
Tuesday, April 26
6:30 – 8:00 Joint Breakfast
8:00 – 10:50 Joint ASRED, agInnovation South, S-AHS, S-CARET Session
8:00 – 8:10 J1 Welcome and Introductions – Ed Jones, Chair, ASRED
8:10 – 8:30 J2 UVI Welcome

  • David Hall, President, UVI
  • Frank Mills, Vice Provost for Research and Public Service, UVI
8:30 – 8:50 J3 NIFA Report – Denise Eblen, USDA/NIFA
In meeting discussions:

  • Denise Eblen is new liaison for southern region AES and CES
  • Budget
    • President’s budget asked for increase of $26 million, including full $700 Million for AFRI
  • Farm Bill
    • 2014 bill introduced some new provisions
      • Centers of Excellence initiated last year
      • Commodity Boards – 18 proposals submitted, discussions with each, RFA’s being released will contain language from the Commodity Board’s proposals
      • Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, hopefully will increase funding from private sources
  • Capacity Programs evaluation
    • Independent evaluation by Teconomy to document value of this investment
    • Results will be used in next Farm Bill development
  • Simplification of grant process
    • Determining minimum documentation needed initially for a proposal
  • 8:50 – 9:15
 J4 Cornerstone Report – Jim Richards, Cornerstone Government Affairs
In meeting discussion:

  • 34 seats up for vote in Senate, majority could change, but depends on presidential candidates
  • 33-35 seats are competitive in house, most Republican, House probably won’t change
  • Senate budget bill is ready for floor action earlier than usual
  • House cannot consider budget until May 15
  • Senate budget has $25 Million increase in AFRI, but not the $325 Million increase in mandatory
  • Any proposed eliminations will probably be put back in during conference
9:15 – 9:30 J5 Communication and Marketing Committee Report – Ian Maw
In meeting discussions:
Messaging testing done last year by kglobal was very helpful
Will be engaging on-campus communicators more in future
Will be evaluating impacts efforts
9:30 – 9:50 Joint Break
9:50 – 10:30 J6 APLU/BAA Initiatives Updates (10 min each)
10:30 – 10:50 J7 Southern Region Aquaculture Center Update – Jimmy Avery, Director, USDA-SRAC
10:50 – 11:00 Move to separate sessions
11:00 – 12:00 Separate ASRED, agInnovation South, S-AHS, S-CARET Meetings

  • S-AHS and S-CARET will meet jointly
  • ASRED and agInnovation South will meet separately
11:00 – 11:10 S1 Welcome – John Russin, agInnovation South Chair

  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of September 28, 2015 agInnovation South Minutes
  • Approval of Interim Actions
    • Appointed Harald Scherm, GA, as the Southern Region Representative on the US Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative Steering Committee
    • Appointed Rick Bennett, KY, to serve on the Multistate Research Committee
    • Appointed Nathan McKinney, AR, to serve on the Multistate Research Committee
    • Appointed David Monks, NC, as Administrative Advisor for S-1059 “Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation Program for Development of Virginia-type Cultivars with High Oleic Trait”
    • Appointed Lesley Oliver, KY, as the Southern Region Representative on the POW Review Panel
    • Appointed Kyle Woosnam, TX, as the Southern Region Representative on the SRDC Technical & Operational Advisory Committee
    • Appointed Phil Elzer, LA, as Administrative Advisor for SERA-41 “Beef Cattle Production Utilizing Forages in the Southeast to Integrate Research and Extension Programs across State Boundaries: Development of replacement heifers”

Action taken:

  • Agenda – Approved (Craig Nessler/Saied Mostaghimi)
  • September 28, 2015 agInnovation South Minutes – Approved (Rick Bennett/Saied Mostaghimi)
  • Interim Actions – Approved (George Hopper/Saied Mostaghimi)
11:10 – 11:20 S2 Budget & Legislative Report – Saied Mostaghimi and Bill Brown
In meeting discussion:
Bill Brown will be chair starting October 1
11:20 – 11:30 S3 Science & Technology Report – Nathan McKinney and Harald Scherm
In meeting discussions:
NCDC 230 on antibiotic resistance has been formed to write a proposal.  They need representatives from many different disciplines on this group.
11:30 – 11:40 S4 ESCOP Diversity in Leadership Task Force – Jackie Burns, agInnovation South Rep
In meeting discussions:
Formed 5 subcommittees to focus on different aspects
Recruiting/mentoring
Training
ESS activities related to issue
Integration to engage leadership
Best practices
11:40 – 12:00 S5 S-9, Plant Genetic Resources Conversation and Utilization  – Clarence Watson
In meeting discussions:
Gary Peterson will retire in January 2017
Action Taken: Approved S-009 FY’2017 budget $479,892– Approved (Clarence Watson/Bob Shulstad)
12:00 – 1:30 Joint Lunch
1:30 – 8:00 Tour and Dinner (Transportation departs at 1:30)

 

Wednesday, April 27
6:30 – 8:00 Joint Breakfast
8:00 – 10:00 Separate ASRED, agInnovation South, S-AHS, S-CARET Meetings

  • S-AHS and S-CARET will meet separately 8:00 – 9:00 and jointly 9:00 – 10:00
  • ASRED and agInnovation South will meet separately
8:00 – 8:10 S6 Multistate Research Committee Report – Clarence Watson
8:10 – 8:30 S7 New NRSP Proposal – National Agricultural Research Data Network for Harmonized Data – Cheryl Porter, University of Florida
8:30 – 8:45 S8

Questions or comments regarding continuing projects (no budget decision) –

 

  • NRSP 1, National Information Management and Support System – Bill Brown
  • NRSP 3, The National Atmospheric Deposition Program – George Hopper
  • NRSP 4, Enabling Pesticide Registrations for Specialty Crops and Minor Uses – Jackie Burns
  • NRSP 6, Inter-Regional Potato Introduction Project: Acquisition, classification, preservation, evaluation and distribution of potato – Craig Nessler
  • NRSP 8, National Animal Genome Research Program – Eric Young
  • NRSP 9, National Animal Nutrition Program –  Lesley Oliver
  • NRSP 10, Database Resources for Crop Genomics, Genetics and Breeding Research – Steve Lommel

2016-2017 Requests for Off-the-Top-Funding
 
8:45 – 9:00 S9 Executive Director’s Report  (items not covered in agenda) – Eric Young
9:00 – 10:00 S10 Chief Operating Officers Meeting (COO’s or their designee only) – John Russin
10:00 – 10:30 Joint Break
10:30 – 12:00 Joint ASRED, agInnovation South, S-AHS, S-CARET  Session
10:30 Reconvene Joint Session – John Russin, Chair, agInnovation South
10:30 – 11:00 J8 Agriculture in the Virgin Islands
11:00 – 12:00 J9 Best Practices Session – Fostering a Culture of Innovation –  Doug Steele, Jackie Burns, and Rodd Moesel

  • Supporting risk-taking, investing in ideas too new for grants, building non-traditional teams and partnerships, etc.
  • Brief presentations by an AES director, CES director, and CARET rep followed by open discussion

Click here for Dr. Burns presentation
12:00 – 1:30 Joint Lunch – ASRED and agInnovation South Leadership Awards Presentations
(S-CARET program ends after lunch)
1:30 – 3:00 Separate ASRED, agInnovation South, S-AHS Meetings
1:30 Convene S-AHS & agInnovation South Joint Meeting – Greg Bohach and John Russin
1:30 – 2:00 S11 ARS Update – Deborah Brennan, ARS
2:00 – 3:00 S12 Best Practices Session – Managing Facilities Deferred Maintenance –
3:00 – 3:30 Joint Break
3:30 – 5:00 Joint ASRED and agInnovation South Session
Separate S-AHS Meeting (S-AHS program ends at 5:00)
3:30 Convene Joint ASRED, agInnovation South Session – John Russin, Chair, agInnovation South
3:30 – 3:50 J10 SERA’s; What’s working, what’s not – Jimmy Henning and Reuben Moore
3:50 – 4:50 J11 Best Practices Session: Evaluating Performance of Faculty on Teams and in Joint Appointments – George Hopper and Tim Cross

  • Assessing contribution to team, separating individual performance from team performance, assessing joint appointment performance, tenure evaluation for junior faculty on teams, rewarding team effort vs. individuals, etc. 
4:50 – 4:55 J12 CES/AES Joint National Meeting, Jackson Hole, WY, Sep 19 – 22 – Eric Young and Ron Brown
4:55 – 5:00 J13 ASRED/agInnovation South 2017 Joint Meeting, Louisiana – John Russin
6:00 Dinner on your own

 

Thursday, April 28
7:00 – 8:30 Joint Breakfast
8:30 – 11:00 Separate ASRED and agInnovation South Meetings
8:30 – 8:35 S13 Chief Operating Officer’s Meeting Report – John Russin
8:35 – 8:45 S14 New NIMSS Update; What’s working, what’s not – Bill Brown and Eric Young
In meeting discussions:
Tremendous thanks to Donna for her extra efforts over the past two years
8:45 – 8:55 S15 National Association for Plant Biotechnology Update – Steve Lommel
In meeting discussions:
·         Broader agenda covering more topics related to plant biotech
·         Better communication with LGU’s
·         Advocacy in favor of biotech to counter arguments against it
·         Leadership is key to future success
·         Should concentrate more on policy than science
Advocating and explaining new technology that is not traditional biotech, ex. Gene editing, to decision-makers
 
8:55 – 9:15 S16 Southern Rural Development Center Research Update  – Steve Turner, Director
9:15 – 10:15 S17 Public Plant Breeding Support  – Roland McReynolds, Executive Director, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (by phone)
10:15 – 10:40 S18 Additional Agenda Items
In meeting discussions:
Future Spring Meeting Hosts
 
2017 – Joint w/ASRED – LSU (New Orleans)
2018 – Oklahoma State
2019 – Joint w/ ASRED – UFL
2020 – Auburn
 
 
 
10:40 – 10:50 S19 Resolutions Committee Report – Rick Roeder
10:50 – 11:00 S20 Closing Comments – John Russin
11:00 Adjourn