agInnovation South Fall Meeting

September 25, 2019

Nashville, TN

Participants:   Paula Agudelo, SC, John Blanton, MS, John Davis, FL, Susan Duncan, VA, Henry Fadamiro, AL, Robert Gilbert, FL, Bob Godfrey, VI, George Hopper, MS, Robert Houtz, KY, Sherry Larkin, FL, J.F. Meullenet, AR, David Monks, NC, Saied Mostaghimi, VA, Lesley Oliver, KY, Keith Owens, OK,  Randy Raper, OK, Tim Rials, TN, Mike Salassi, LA, Joe West, GA, David White, TN, and Hongwei Xin, TN
Executive Director’s Office:  Eric Young, agInnovation South
Action Items

S1 Agenda – Approved (Keith Owens / Saied Mostaghimi)
Spring Meeting Minutes – Approved (Saied Mostaghimi / Bob Godfrey)
Interim Actions – Approved(Saied Mostaghimi / Mike Salassi)
S2 All recommendations from the SERA Review Committee were approved
S8 J. F. Meullenet was elected as agInnovation South Chair-elect, effective immediately
S10 Keith Owens, Rob Gilbert, and Eric Young will help look into the possibility of holding an administrative Boot Camp in the Southern region

Agenda

Time Item Number Agenda Item – Presenter
6:45 Pick up breakfast from buffet in ACORN C and go to ACORN AB meeting room
7:00 S1 Welcome and Introductions
Approval of Agenda, March Minutes, and Interim Actions –  Keith Owens (for Steve Lommel, SAASED Chair)
Action taken:
Agenda – Approved (Keith Owens / Saied Mostaghimi)
Spring Meeting Minutes – Approved (Saied Mostaghimi / Bob Godfrey)
Interim Actions – Approved(Saied Mostaghimi / Mike Salassi)
7:10 S2 SERA Review Committee Report, Recommendations, and Approval – David Monks
Action taken:

  • Motion for approval – (David Monks)
  • All recommendations from the SERA Review Committee were approved

In meeting discussion:

  • Proposals are improving overall
7:20 S3 Multistate Research Committee Report – Eric Young (for Nathan McKinney)
In meeting discussion:

  • Only SERA15 is terminating without a replacement
  • S-1063 will become an SDC and are working on their proposal
7:30 S4 NRSP Review Committee Recommendations and Ballot Preview – Keith Owens and Eric Young
In meeting discussion:

  • Reviewed Review Committee recommendations and ballot
  • NRSP 6 is not happy with budget cut, but has accepted it
  • There’s a recommendation for NRSP 4 to increase number of monitoring stations in the West
  • Sun-setting or maintance level budget should be determined on project by project basis
  • It would be helpful if leaders of NRSP’s up for renewal were invited to present at ESS meeting
7:45 S5 agInnovation South Executive Director Position Description/Announcement and Search Timeline – George Hopper (for Steve Lommel, Search Committee Chair)
In meeting discussion:

  • Directors are invited to review and comment on position announcement
  • Eric will talk with Steve about setting up conference call for search committee to discuss how and when to proceed
8:05 S6 Cotton Winter Nursery Update and Assessments – Eric Young
In meeting discussion:

  • Send average use and user fees information to directors
  • Any increase in assessments will be decided at Spring meeting
8:20 S7 Southern Mini Land-grant Meeting Debrief and Future – Eric Young
In meeting discussion:

  • Very good meeting, focus on Land-grant mission was valuable
  • Good to bring all Southern groups together
  • Every 3 or 4 years, or alternate with joint Extension/Research
  • Want to continue meeting routinely with just Extension
  • Spring timing would be best, April or May
8:35 S8 Nominating Committee Report – Keith Owens

  • agInnovation South Chair-elect

In meeting discussion:

  • F. Meullenet was nominated for agInnovation South Chair-elect and nominations were closed
  • J. F. Meullenet was elected by acclamation
8:40 S9 Resolutions Committee Report – Lesley Oliver
S10 North Central Boot Camp
In meeting discussion:

  • ASRED wants to look into the possibility of having an administrative boot camp in our region similar to what the North Central has done the past couple years. Are we interested in doing this?
  • Good idea, especially for Heads and Research Directors
  • The two possibilities are to partner with the NC region and alternate where it’s held, or do our own independent of NC.
  • Ron Brown, Tom Dobbins (SC), and Laura Johnson (GA) have agreed to help look into this
  • Keith Owens, Rob Gilbert, and Eric Young will help from our group
8:45 Adjourn
9:00 ESS Business Meeting, room Parthenon AB