NE Multistate Activities Committee Meeting

Pier 5 Hotel, Baltimore, MD

Sept. 22, 2002 (Sunday)

3:00 to 5:00 pm

Bob Seem, Chair

Report and Recommendations

1. Recommends approval of the following requests:

• Northeast Coordinating Committee proposal: NE_temp182, “Hydropedology: Genesis, properties, and distribution of hydromorphic soils.” 10/2002-9/2007. Submitted by Steve Goodwin (MA)

• Request to Rewrite NE103, “Postharvest Physiology of Fruits.” 10/2003-9/2008. Submitted by Bob Seem (NYG)

• Extension for two years (10/2004-9/2006) of NE167, “Family Business Viability in Economically Vulnerable Communities.” Submitted by Dan Decker (NYC). The project will continue its research activities under its existing objectives and will explore possibility of transitioning to a project in the North Central during this 2-year extension.

• Extension of NEC-067, Soil Testing for one year (10/2002-9/2003). For the record only, NERA approval granted through e-mail ballot ending Sept. 16, 2002.

2. Multistate Projects/Activities that will terminate on September 30, 2002: (Advisors will be reminded to submit termination reports using SAES-422 in NIMSS)

• NE112 – Mastitis Resistance to Enhance Dairy Food Safety (K. Kerr, CTS)

(Replaced by NE1009 – Mastitis Resistance to Enhance Dairy Food Safety, 10/2002-9/2007, K. Kerr, CTS)

• NE138 – Epidemiology and Control of Emerging Strains of Poultry Respiratory Disease Agents (D. MacKenzie, MD)

(Participants will join NC project)

• NE144 – Forage Crops Genetics and Breeding to Improve Yield and Quality (W.R. Coffman, NYC)

(Replaced by NE1010 – Breeding and Genetics of Forage Crops to Improve Productivity, Quality and Industrial Uses, 10/2002-9/2017, AA-TBA: see recommendation below)

· NE148 – Regulation of Nutrient Use in Food-Producing Animals (W.E.Vinson,WV)

· NE161 – Association of Fertility with Temporal Changes in Ovarian Function of Domestic Ruminants (W. Berndtson, NH)

(Replaced by NE1007 – Ovarian and Environmental Influences on Embryonic/Fetal Mortality in Ruminants, 10/2002-9/2007, W. Berndtson, NH)

· NE162 – Rural Economic Development: Alternatives in the New Competitive Environment (D. Rossi, NJ)

(Replaced by NE1011 - Rural Communities, Rural Labor Markets and Public Policy, 10/2002-9/2007, D. Rossi, NJ)

· NE165 – Private Strategies, Public Policies, and Food System Performance (D. Rossi, NJ)

· NE176 - Characterization and Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Ozone in the Northeastern U.S. (R. Seem, NYG)

(Replaced by NE1013 - Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Ozone in the Northeastern US, 10/2002-9/2007, R. Seem, NYG)

· NE179 - Technology and Principles for Assessing and Retaining Postharvest Quality of Fruits and Vegetables (S. Goodwin, MA)

(Replaced by NE1008 - Assuring Fruit and Vegetable Product Quality and Safety Through the Handling and Marketing Chain, 10/2002-9/2007, S. Goodwin, MA)

• NE184 - Development of New Potato Clones for Environmental and Economical Sustainability in the Northeast (D.R. MacKenzie, MD)

(Replaced by NE1014 - Development of New Potato Clones for Improved Pest Resistance, Marketability, and Sustainability in the East, 10/2002-9/2007, D.R. MacKenzie, MD)

• NE185 - Commodities, Consumers, and Communities: Local Food Systems in a Globalizing Environment (W. R. Coffman, NYC)

(Replaced by NE1012 - Sustaining Local Food Systems in a Globalizing Environment: Forces, Responses, Impacts, 10/2002-9/2007. W. R. Coffman will remain as AA and a recommendation for a replacement will be discussed at the next MAC meeting.)

• NEC103 – Sugar Maple Tree Improvement (D. Decker, NYC)

3. New Advisor Assignments:

NE1010 (NE144) - Breeding and Genetics of Forage Crops to Improve Productivity, Quality and Industrial Uses, 10/2002-9/2017

Recommends Dr. Donald Viands (NYC) as Advisor to NE1010, subject to his meeting eligibility requirements as stated in the NE Supplementary Guidelines.

4. Report of the NRSP Task Force – Bill Trumble

W. Trumble will distribute copies of the draft report to the NERA directors. This topic is also part of the ESCOP agenda in the afternoon, at 4:30pm.

5. NIMSS Update – Rubie Mize

R. Mize reported that NIMSS is now cited in CSREES notifications as the source of official documentation for approved project outlines. She met with Drs. Cunningham, Oros and Lizette Williams and discussed how NIMSS can be enhanced to satisfy the requirements of CSREES.

The Committee expressed concern over the other 3 regions’ request to modify NIMSS to grant authorization access to the 1890s, Extension and Academic directors. Although providing the same access to these directors as AES directors will encourage and increase participation in integrated activities, the Committee is NOT in favor of granting this type of access to others outside the Agricultural Experiment Station. It is important that AES directors are aware of and are able to sign-off on participation that may result in multistate research resource being committed without their knowledge. The Committee will seek guidance from the NERA membership whether we should allow NIMSS to expand authorization access to include these groups.

Another concern is NERA being inundated with requests from the other regions to modify NIMSS. Continuous funding for its maintenance should be discussed with the other Exec. Directors. D. R. MacKenzie noted that this is included in the agenda for the EDs’ meeting in Madison next month.

6. Other Business:

• The Committee recommends including in the NERA Winter Meeting agenda, a “Review of Administrative Advisor Roles and Responsibilities” to recapitulate procedures concerning submission and quality control of SAES-422s, attending and authorizing annual meetings, project reviews, addendum submission etc.

• R. Mize was requested to printout projects that have late or missing reports and to send reminders to the Advisors.

• On the MAC membership, the Committee recommends modifying the NERA Rules of Operation. The current rules state, “The membership of the MAC shall be three NERA members and two members of the Northeast Extension Directors Association (NEED), all appointed by the Chair for three-year term.” The Committee recommends that MAC be composed of four NERA members. This is in view of the NEREC Review Committee (2 NERA and 2 NEED directors) already in place to review proposals for integrated activities. For this reason, there is no need for extension to be represented in MAC.