Report and Recommendations
NORTHEAST
MULTISTATE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE MEETING
Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa, Morgantown, WV
July
7, 2002
2:20 to 4:10 pm
Chair, Bob Seem
In attendance: R. Seem- NYG (Chair), W. Trumble (NH), A. Adelaja (NJ), and R. Mize (Recorder)
Action: Recommends approval.
10-2002 to 2007. Submitted by D.
MacKenzie (MD).
http://www.lgu.umd.edu/showInfo.cfm?trackID=1379
Action: Recommends approval with the stipulation that the following will be explored: source of future funding if support from Multistate Research fund phases out, a plan to measure impacts of the project and how participation will be expanded.
Action: Recommends approval with the stipulation that the following are addressed: source of future funding if support from Multistate Research fund phases out, a plan to measure impacts of the project and how participation will be expanded. In addition, MAC noted that comments by Reviewer 2 should be taken into consideration. Governance should be strengthened by stating exactly how and when the committee will elect its officers. MAC emphasized the need to design Northeast multistate projects that will include a strategy for securing other sources of funds as multistate funding phases out. How these funds are leveraged should be included in annual reports.
Action: Recommends approval, but encourages the project consider two additional aspects of sustainable local food systems: 1) the real economic benefits of these systems through energy (and water) savings, and 2) the reduced dependencies on distribution systems, especially in light of homeland security. With these factors in mind, the MAC also encourages participating AES Directors to involve decision-makers in their states to encourage local production.
Action: Recommends approval to allow the project to complete its objectives while also exploring possibilities and opportunities of joining existing dairy projects outside the region. Projects have been identified in the North Central and contacts will be initiated soon.
Action: MAC recommends approval of the proposal subject to the consequences of the NRSP Review Task Force. Ninety percent of NRSP-3’s funding already come from other sources.
NE179, Technology and Principles for Assessing and Retaining Postharvest Quality of Fruits and Vegetables (old)
NE1008, Assuring Fruit and Vegetable Product Quality and Safety Through the Handling and Marketing Chain (new)
Action: Recommends Steve Goodwin (MA) for both NE179 and NE1008.
Action: The NEREC Committee will meet Monday morning to review the NEREC proposal. An Appendix E will be required from the participants. The operational guidelines for a Joint Advisory Committee will also be raised at this meeting. The NEREC Committee’s reaction to the guidelines will be reported at the NERA meeting.
Copies of the draft paper on How to Prepare a SAES-422 will be distributed at the NERA meeting. D. MacKenzie had expressed earlier that this is in a very “draft” form and is a work in progress. He is awaiting input from the other Executive Directors.
Action: Recommends approval to move ahead with the process of designating a Hatch project as contributing to a Multistate Coordinating Committee, and thus get tracked in CRIS as an integrated activity, when that Coordinating Committee is functionally integrated. NERA has created the following Coordinating Committees:
NEC1000 – The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
NEC1001 – Land Use Management
NEC1003 – Research Committee on Commodity Promotion
NEC1004 – The Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center
NEC1005 – The Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
NEREAP3 – Integrated Pest Management
NEREC1000 - Northeast Pasture Research and Extension Consortium
Action: MAC endorses raising the concept of creating or combining regional committees into a larger organization to serve as a pool of experts advising on programmatic issues and most importantly, serving as a pool of peer reviewers for multistate projects. Chair Seem will report to NERA the results of D. MacKenzie’s contacts with the North Central advisory committees.
The number of NIMSS users continue to increase and CSREES has begun accepting and processing proposals and reports submitted through NIMSS. Users are also submitting comments and suggestions on how to improve NIMSS. These are all being taken into consideration and changes made in NIMSS if suggestions were found feasible. CSREES has pointed out that Appendix E information should match those in the objectives and methodology. This has been the major cause for rejecting proposals. Advisors are encouraged to be diligent in checking that Appendix E matches the text in the appropriate sections of the proposal.
Action: Dr. Adesoji Adelaja is stepping down as a MAC member in view of his new role as Dean at Rutgers and his increased workload. Dr. Cathy Wessells (RI) is being recommended to fill this assignment.
Chair Seem thanked the members and adjourned the meeting at 4:10pm.
NEREC COMMITTEE MEETING
Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa, Morgantown, WV
July
8, 2002
7:00 to 7:45 am
Members:
Zane Helsel (Chair), Cathy Wessells, Bob Seem, and Bill Trumble
Request to approve the NEREC proposal, "Piloting a Regional Research and Educational Approach to Integrated Deer Damage Management", 10-2002 to 2007. Submitted by M. Voiland (NYC).
Action: Recommends NERA approval without the
expectation of allotment of funds from the participating AESs. Completion of Appendix E is requested. Recommends that Dan Decker serve as the
Administrative Advisor for NERA.