ESCOP Executive Committee

New York Hilton - Concourse C

November 12, 2007

1:45-4:45pm

 

Agenda and Briefs

 

Agenda #

 

Agenda

 

1:45 pm

Call to order – Bruce McPheron (Chair)

1.0

1:50 pm

Approval of Agenda and Interim Actions – Bruce McPheron

2.0

1:55 pm

CSREES Update – Colien Hefferan

3.0

2:05 pm

BAA-Policy Board of Directors Update – Nancy Cox

4.0

2:15 pm

Farm Bill/CREATE-21, Budget Status Report   – Cornerstone

5.0

2:35 pm

Budget and Legislative Committee Update– David Boethel /Mike Harrington

6.0

2:40 pm

Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee Report – Lee Sommers/Eric Young

7.0

2:50 pm

Marketing and Public Relations Plan – Jerry Arkin/Arlen Leholm

 

3:20 pm

Break

8.0

3:35 pm

LGU involvement in REE Energy Science & Education Plan – Mike Harrington

9.0

3:50 pm

ESCOP Operational Plan – Dan Rossi/Arlen Leholm

10.0

4:00 pm

Stakeholder Listening Sessions – Dan Rossi/Arlen Leholm 

11.0

4:10 pm

Planning for the 2008 ESS/SAES/ARD Workshop – Steve Pueppke/Arlen Leholm

12.0

4:20 pm

New ESCOP Website – Eric Young

13.0

4:25 pm

Other Business

14.0

 

 

4:40 pm

Future Meetings: 

    • ESCOP Winter Meeting – March 4, 2008 at the CSREES Waterfront Centre
    • Joint COPs – July 21-24, 2008 in Puerto Rico
    • 2008 ESS/SAES/ARD Workshop – September 21-24, 2008 in Traverse City, MI

 

4:45 pm

Adjourn – Bruce McPheron

 

 

Agenda #

Agenda Briefs

1.0

Approval of Agenda and Interim Actions – Bruce McPheron

·        Draft Agenda posted at http://www.nera.umd.edu//Nov2007ESCOPExecMeeting/ESCOPExecCommAgenda11-2007.htm

·        Interim Actions:

  1. Made the following appointments:

·        Dr. Greg Bohach as Chair of the Science and Technology Committee

·        Dr. Craig Nessler as Chair of the NRSP Review Committee

·        Dr. David Boethel as Chair of the Budget and Legislative Committee

·        Dr. William Ravlin as a Member of the NIMSS Oversight Committee

·        ESCOP Science and Technology Committee – 1890 ARD Members

    1. Dr. Steve Meredith (Lincoln University)
    2. Dr. Ambrose Anuro (Delaware State Univ.)

 

  1. Informed USDA-CSREES of the FY08 off-the-top funding level for the NRSPs as approved by the Experiment Station Section on Sept. 17 in Philadelphia.

 

  1. Participated in the ECOP Breeze Conference on October 16 to discuss the Marketing and Public Relations Plan.  ECOP voted to support the plan. 

 

  1. Chaired the live webcast to discuss the Marketing Plan held on October 19 in Washington, DC.

 

  1. Sent out the ballot for the Marketing Plan assessment on October 22.

 

  1. Participated in a conference call with ECOP on November 1 to discuss implementation of the system marketing plan should the assessment vote be positive.

 

2.0

CSREES Update – Colien Hefferan

3.0

BAA-Policy Board of Directors Update – Nancy Cox

 

Background Info:

 

The BAA Policy Board of Directors will be meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 10:15.  Input will be requested on PBD agenda items that are of interest to ESCOP; ie. marketing plan, Exhibit on the Hill, Partnership Committee, et al.

 

Action Requested:  Inputs for BAAPBD Meeting that are of interest to ESCOP.

 

4.0

Farm Bill/CREATE-21, Budget Status Report   – Cornerstone

 

Background Info:

 

5.0

Budget and Legislative Committee Update– David Boethel /Mike Harrington

 

Background Info:

 

The Committee is conducting follow-up web survey to determine ESS research priorities for the 2010 budget cycle.  As of November 5, there were 40 responses on the survey.  By a margin of 2:1, the Directors continue to indicate that maintaining capacity for research through base funds (Hatch, Evans-Allen, McIntire-Stennis, and Animal Disease) is the top priority (70%) Increasing funding for the NRI with emphasis on integrated activities was a distant second at (30%).  A majority of Directors do not favor tying increases to specific initiatives but does favor leveraging increases with existing formula funds. 

 

The relative rankings of the major issues indentified are: Food, Nutrition, Health and Well-Being (53%) and the Environment (47%); Bioenergy and Biobased Economy (43%), and Food and Agrosecurity (7%).

 

A request was received from NASULGC to provide input into CSREES NRI research priorities Stakeholders listening session for plant and pest biology. This session, coordinated by the American Society of Plant Biology, will be held on November 20, 2007 in Alexandria VA.   A draft one page list of priorities was developed using ESS priorities as well as the pest biology priorities outlined by the regional IPM centers.

 

Attachments:

  1. Preliminary Report FY 2010 ESCOP-ESS Priorities
  2. NASULGC Research Priorities for Plant and Pest Biology

 

For information only.

 

6.0

Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee Report – Lee Sommers/Eric Young

 

Background Info:

 

The NPGCC met by conference call on October 31, 2007.  Below is a summary of the committee’s discussions.

 

  1. National Plant Germplasm System & PGOC Update – Peter Bretting

·        There are still a number of position vacancies in National Plant Germplasm System.

·        ~160,000 assessions were distributed in 2006, which may be record high.

·        Plant samples stored at the Fort Collins back-up site are now >700,000, including backups for numerous foreign repositories.

·        Budgets of most NPGS sites are strained because the costs and demand have both increased.

·        Capacity will continue to decrease if budgets remain flat.

·        ARS projects that make up the National Program related to plant germplasm are beginning to go through renewal and review.

·        Land Grant Uuniversities faculty are encouraged to be on panels

·        Peter Bretting will contact the ARS panel manager to have information sent on how faculty can get on panel database.

·        International germplasm issues

o       FAO international treaty status.

§         Currently at State Department recieving final approval.

§         Will go to the White House by end of ’07 for signing, which will be a polical decision.

o       Beginning in January, breeders will begin to see the standard MTA when requesting germplasm from other countries.

o       Accepting terms of MTA is up to recipient, once the NPGS site has sent the material, they are no longer responsible for the MTA terms.

o       National Plant Germplasm System is not yet incorporating materials with MTA because they don’t have the tracking mechanism required.  They anticipate this will be in place in next few months.

 

  1. National Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee presentations at Nationl meetings.

·        NPGCC would like to give presentations ASTA, AOSCA, Industrial Crops Society.

·        Candy Gardner is the incoming President of Industrial Crops Society and their meeting next September in College Station, TX will include a session on germplasm and briefing on NPGCC.

·        Ann Marie will speak at the Organic Seed Growers meeting in February.

 

  1. Future Issues & Actions

·        Continue contacts with relevant organizations.

·        Could National Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee gain some advantage from the ESCOP/ECOP marketing effort that will begin soon?

o       Need to determine if any National Plant Germplasm System locations are in districts of the 25-30 Congressional members to be targeted.

o       Peter Bretting will send Jerry Arkin a list of Congressional members that have National Plant Germplasm System facilities in their districts.

 

  1. Spring National Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee meeting

·        National Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee will meet Thursday, June 5 after PGOC and Crop Germplasm Committee Chairs meeting in Fort Collins on June 3 & 4, 2008.

 

For information only.

 

7.0

Marketing and Public Relations Plan – Jerry Arkin/Arlen Leholm

 

Background

During the past year, a significant effort has been made to advance a communication and marketing strategy that involves an educational campaign aimed at key elected federal officials who make the funding decisions upon which our collective programs depend. The goal of this strategy is to increase federal funding for our capacity and competitive programs. The initial strategy was advanced by the ESCOP Communication and Marketing Committee (ESCOP-CMC).  More recently, ECOP voted to partner with ESCOP in this effort.  

 

A vote by ESCOP to approve an assessment of $300,000 is underway and will be completed by November 10th.  The assessment is for a three-year period.  If the assessment passes, a recommendation has been made to create a “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee”.  Recommended membership of this committee is described below.

 

Summary of Key Actions Taken This Past Year

  • At the 2006 annual ESS meeting, the ESCOP–CMC was charged with seeking a professional firm that could help us increase resources and visibility for ESS. The Section supported this approach and approved $10,000 for this initial effort at that meeting.
  • In February 2007, ESCOP approved the ESCOP-CMC proposal to move forward to seek public relations/marketing firms to educate key elected officials that make our USDA funding decisions.
  • A short document entitled “Marketing the SAES” was developed, in question and answer format, to help explain the strategy proposed for this effort. (Attachment A)
  • An RFP was sent to seven marketing firms in the Washington DC area in August (See Attachment B for the RFP).
  • ESCOP’s intention is to retain a public relations firm with national reach and reputation to increase awareness of the land-grant university system and the SAES to a select group of congressional decision-makers, approximately 28 key legislators involved in the appropriations process. This educational effort will be closely coordinated with the ongoing federal advocacy (lobbying) work performed by the land-grant system’s advocacy firm (Cornerstone Government Affairs, Washington, D.C.) of NASULGC’s Board on Agriculture Assembly and the leadership of selected land-grant universities as appropriate.
  • The RFP includes up to $240,000 per year for the public relations/ marketing firm. An additional $60,000, not in the RFP, would be provided to our advocacy firm, Cornerstone, for coordination of our education efforts with their advocacy initiatives.
  • The public relations/marketing firm will be required to prepare quarterly and annual reports of activities which will be carefully evaluated by ESCOP-CMC for its effectiveness, and the results communicated to ESCOP and ECOP quarterly and ESS annually.
  • In September of 2007, The Podesta Group, a Washington DC based Public Relations/Marketing firm, was selected pending a positive ESCOP assessment vote.
  • ECOP passed the following motion at their October 2007 meeting, “ECOP supports and will partner with the Experiment Station Section's targeted Congressional public relations effort by Podesta Group”.
  • On October 19, 2007 a webcast that describes the proposed public relations/marketing plan was held. ESCOP leadership, Tony Podesta and John Scofield from the Podesta Group as well as Hunt Shipman from Cornerstone conducted this webcast. 
  • On November 1, 2007, a recommendation to create a “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee” was made by members of AHS, ECOP and ESCOP.

 

Next Steps:

On November 1, 2007, leadership of ECOP and ESCOP joined Fred Cholick, chair of the Policy Board, for a phone discussion on logical next steps should the ESCOP Marketing Assessment pass.  This group agreed that it is important to have a system effort in implementing the proposed public relations and marketing strategy. 

 

This group recommended the creation of a “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee”.  The membership of this committee would consist of the ECOP and ESCOP Chairs, the chairs of the ESCOP-CMC and ECOP Marketing committees, and one member from AHS, ACOP and ICOP.  James Wade and Arlen Leholm would serve as staff to this committee.

 

The charge to the System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee is to develop the implementation strategy for the proposed public relations and marketing effort.  This committee’s initial efforts will set the stage for a successful public relations educational campaign including the implementation of the efforts described in the RFP (attachment B). This committee should work closely with The Podesta Group and Cornerstone in helping them understand our priorities and operational protocols.

 

Actions Requested:

 

  1. ESCOP leadership approval of a joint ESCOP and ECOP led “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee” with representation from AHS, ACOP and ICOP.

 

  1. ECOP leadership approval of a joint ESCOP and ECOP led “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee” with representation from AHS, ACOP and ICOP.

 

  1. Policy Board endorsement of a joint ESCOP and ECOP led “System Communication and Marketing Implementation Committee” with representation from AHS, ACOP and ICOP.

 

 

Break

8.0

LGU involvement in REE Energy Science & Education Plan – Mike Harrington

 

Background Info:

On September 5-6, 2007 USDA-REE held a planning session to begin the process of developing a strategic plan which will guide activities over the next 5 years.  Some 100 people representing ARS, ERS, CSREES, OMB, and university faculty attended this facilitated workshop.  Attendees were given a specific charge by Under Secretary Gale Buchanan. 

 

I have been serving on the steering committee for the workshop and am also providing input on the draft plan which, unfortunately, has not been shared with workshop participants or made public.  The plan is expected to be posted for public comment on or about November 15, 2007.

 

There are five major goals (below) each with expected outcomes, strategies, and near term action items covering the next 24 months.  Each action item has an “internal champion” who will provide leadership for the activity.  To date, the leaders are entirely within USDA.  However, there are a number of the actions that will intimately involve universities so ideally representatives from universities would be involved in providing leadership for these efforts.

 

Some within USDA are concerned that university representative involvement in setting programmatic directions might create potential conflict of interests which could exclude individuals or institutions from participation in grant programs.  It has been suggested that both the research and extension regional executive directors might fill some of these roles.  If either action is taken, there will also be a need to accept input from other groups and universities when the plan is posted.

 

Draft Goals:

1.      Use a Systems/Integrated Approach to Increase Sustainable Production of Renewable, Agriculture-based Energy

  1. Foster Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Bioeconomies for Rural Communities

3.      Promote Conservation and Efficient Use of Energy across America

  1. Attract, Develop and Retain a Diverse, High-Quality, Motivated Workforce for the Nation.
  2. Develop and Deploy Fully Integrated Tools, Systems, and Technologies

 

 

For information only

 

9.0

ESCOP Operational Plan – Dan Rossi/Arlen Leholm

 

Background Info:

At the July 25-26, 2007 ESCOP meeting in Philadelphia, the ED’s were charged with developing a short term strategic operational plan for ESCOP.  Attached is a draft outline of such a plan.

 

Attachment:

ESCOP Intermediate Term Operational Plan

 

Action Requested: Discussion and feedback.

 

10.0

Stakeholder Listening Sessions – Dan Rossi/Arlen Leholm 

11.0

Planning for the 2008 ESS/SAES/ARD Workshop – Steve Pueppke/Arlen Leholm

 

Background Info:
The 2008 ESS/SAES/ARD Workshop will be held September 21-24 in Traverse City, Michigan. 
 
Action Requested:   Seek input on workshop content

 

12.0

New ESCOP Website – Eric Young

 

Background Info:

The ESCOP website has been moved to a server at the Southern Region IPM Center at NCSU.  The new URL is http://escop.ncsu.edu/  Total cost for programming and migrating the site was $5,000. 

 

Action Requested:  Approval by the ESCOP Executive Committee is requested for this payment from ESCOP reserve funds on deposit at NASULGC.

 

13.0

Other Business

14.0

Future Meetings: 

    • ESCOP Winter Meeting – March 4, 2008 at the CSREES Waterfront Centre
    • Joint COPs – July 21-24, 2008 in Puerto Rico
    • 2008 ESS/SAES/ARD Workshop – September 21-24, 2008 in Traverse City, MI

 

Adjourn – Bruce McPheron