NERA

Northeastern Regional Association
of
State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors Meeting

Ramada Inn Lakefront, Geneva, New York

July 10-11, 2006

Draft Minutes

Steve Goodwin, Vice Chair

In Attendance:
Steve Goodwin (MA), Vice Chair
Tom Burr (NYG)
Thomas Fretz (NERA)
Reginal Harrell (MD)
Ian Hart (CTS)
Michael Hoffman (NYC)
Diane Hyman (DC)
Carrie Koplinka-Loeher, Presenter, NE-IPM
Anna Palmisano (CSREES)
Richard Rhodes III (RI)
Kirby Stafford III (CTNH)
Robert Steele (PA)
Darius Sweitlik (ARS-NAA)
William Trumble (NH)
Michael Vayda (VT)
William Vinson (WV)
Larry Walker (NYC), Presenter, Sun Grant Initiative
Cheng-i Wei (MD)
Gloria Wyche-Moore (DC)
Rubie Mize (NERA), Recorder

MAJOR DECISIONS

THE JOB JAR
(Work Assignments for the Executive Director)

Monday, July 10, 2006

  1. Call to Order - Vice Chair Goodwin
    The meeting was called to order at 1:00pm.

  2. Welcome and Introductions - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin
    Each director gave a brief two-minute introduction and report about their state and station activities.

    Anna Palmisano reported that some of the CSREES liaisons have visited their states. Feedback on these visits will be useful to better prepare the NPLS for future visits.

  3. Agenda Modification (Additions/Deletions) and Approval - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin
    Added to the agenda is a brief update by R. Rhodes III on the Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center. He would also initiate a discussion on a possible collaboration in the region for a Northeast multistate aquaculture project.

  4. Approval of the March 2006 Minutes - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin
    http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/NERAMinutesMarch2006.html

    The motion made to accept the draft minutes as posted above, was seconded and approved.

  5. Northeast Integrated Pest Management Report - Carrie Koplinka-Loeher, Co-Director, NE-IPM
    C. Koplinka-Loeher gave a brief report on the NE-IPM. Her PowerPoint presentation is posted at the following url:
    NE-IPM Report

  6. Sun Grant Initiative Update - Larry Walker, Director, Cornell
    The advisory group has been formed and the RFP is finalized. Discussions continue with the Department of Transportation on cost-share requirement and indirect costs. The SGI Steering Committee will serve as the screening committee for the grants process and will help identify peer reviewers for proposals. There will be an ad hoc review of all proposals. The competition will be regional. The NE SGI RFP will be released once the DOT contract is approved and finalized.

    A Feedstock Development Workshop is being planned by Department of Energy for April 2007. There are increasing opportunities for federal funding for research on (1) biofuels, (2) bioremediation and (3) carbon sequestration.

  7. Interim Actions by the Chair and Executive Committee Report - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin

  8. Discussion of the New Executive Director Position Strategy
    Collective Summary of Sub-Committee Question Responses
    Position Announcement for the New NERA Executive Director
    Draft ED Search Plan
    Timetable For NERA ED Search

    A committee was formed at the last NERA meeting in March to review the ED position and come up with recommendations for the NERA directors. The committee was composed of W. Trumble (NH), D. Rossi (NJ), M. Hoffman (NYC) and M. Vayda (VT). The summary of the responses and their recommendations resulted to the draft position description, search plan and timetable posted in the above urls.

    The major recommendations are as follows:

    The Extension Directors (NEED) will discuss at their meeting if there is any interest on their part in having a jointly appointed Executive Director to serve both associations. The NERA directors opted to approve by electronic ballot the recommendations above if NEED chooses not to pursue further discussions for a joint appointment.

  9. NRAC Update - Richard Rhodes III
    The new NRAC Board has met. R. Rhodes III is a member of the Board representing NEED. Aside from the Board, NRAC will also seek guidance from two advisory groups: industry and technical. NRAC has about $1 million in accumulated research funds that have not been committed. This is a good opportunity to collaborate and form a multistate project. This can be approached in three ways:

    NRAC is also looking at national activities with scientists cooperating from other regions. The process already in place for creating a multistate activity fits this requirement. We will need a champion(s) if we want to move this forward. R. Harrell and/or R. Rhodes III agreed to serve as the advisors. The first step is to submit a Request to Write a Proposal.

    C. Wei clarified that due to some complications in the financial administration, funding from FY2000-2005 is under University of Massachusetts management and FY2005-onwards will be under the University of Maryland.

  10. Comments from Vice Chair before closing the day’s meeting - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin
    Vice Chair Goodwin asked the members to reflect on the topics that are still to be discussed and use the occasion to network with CARET and extension colleagues.

    Tuesday, July 11, 2006

  11. Multistate Activities Committee Report and Discussion - Bill Vinson
    http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/MACReportJuly2006.html
    A motion was made to accept the MAC recommendations for items nos. 1, 2 and 5. The motion was seconded and approved.

    Item #4 - NERA Multi-State Portfolio Analysis - Discussion of survey
    Click here to access survey in Zoomerang
    There was discussion on the complexity of the data that will be collected. T. Fretz will analyze the results and will determine if there is a common trend among the responses. W. Trumble commented that questions 2 and 3 seem to overlap. He will work with T. Fretz in rewording the questions. For the survey to yield meaningful results all stations should participate. One from each station will be contacted. Former directors in stations undergoing staff turnover will be contacted to complete the survey (i.e. Cooper (NJ), Reiling (ME)).

    Item #6 - NRSP-1 Report - Michael Vayda (Lead Advisor)
    NRSP-1 Technical Committee Meeting Minutes, June 2, 2006
    M. Vayda highlighted the recommendations and actions from the NRSP-1 meeting. The four regional advisors gained a better understanding of the CRIS system and appreciation for its service to the system and CSREES. There was concern about the quality and variability of the reports submitted to CRIS. Some NPLs want technical reports and some say we need reports written in layman terms. There needs to be a standard format that can feed into the institution and CSREES reporting requirements. This will also address the problem of having two separate reporting dates, one from CSREES and another for the institution.

    A. Palmisano will collect and share some examples of impact statements that are useful to CSREES. She noted that reports should be written for the 'general technical reader' or 'educated lay people'. It was noted that ARS writes their reports at 8th grade level.

    There was concern that CSREES NPLs and staff do not use CRIS efficiently for reports before contacting the institutions for more information. This can be clarified by simply stating that CRIS was used to gather past and current information, but the NPL or CSREES staff may need even more up-to-date information on the issue and are just checking if they are available from the institution.

    Anna Palmisano will raise these concerns with those concerned at CSREES as well as the need to make CRIS more user-friendly. It may be wise to invest the time now to look at these reports, get consensus from congressional audience for whom these reports are intended and come up with a standard set that can address the variability issues.

    Item #6 - Proposal to Increase NRSP-1 Support for NIMSS
    NIMSS Proposal
    There was consensus among the members that support for NIMSS from NRSP-1 needs to increase. The proposal was shared and also being discussed by the other regions in their summer meetings. NRSP-1 with support from the NIMSS Oversight Committee will come up with the formal proposal for inclusion in next year's request for off-the-top funding for FY2007-2008.

  12. Executive Director's Job Jar and ESCOP Report - Tom Fretz

    A more detailed report on NPGCC will be given at the ESS Meeting in September. ARS provides major financial support to the centers. Is there a different funding model that we can use to finance the germplasm regional centers? One way is to lump the four regional multistate projects and form an oversight committee. This may result with the Northeast contributing more since our NE-9 has the lowest regional off-the-top funding. There is no charge for using the germplasm. Largest use is from the public institutions, some go to private and international users. We need to know the impact of the germplasm projects. T. Burr will prepare a one-pager for NE-9. T. Fretz noted that there is a need to raise the visibility and marketing of germplasm.

    T. Fretz encouraged the directors to work and cultivate relationships with their NPL liaisons as these individuals will develop intimate knowledge of their states and can give them useful directions and feedback on their Plans of Work.

    The Formula Funds Task Force had completed its work. If CREATE-21 or another initiative will need support, then ESCOP and ECOP can jointly form another working group.

  13. Meeting with CARET Members
    The CARET members joined the NERA meeting briefly. They met with the NEED directors earlier, and at that meeting a suggestion was made that the theme for next year's summer meeting be focussed on "Advocacy".

    The CARET members noted that this is one of the most interesting and engaging joint sessions they have attended. One of the highlights is the field visit to the NE-9 experimental farms demonstrating on-going cooperation between the Geneva Experiment Station and ARS. CARET suggest that field visits are extremely important and be included in future joint session programs. For instance, visits can be made by CARET in the afternoon. Their business agenda can be handled in an hour and they want to make better use of their time.

    CARET had been experiencing problems in putting together an agenda and leaving with a message that they can bring back to their states. They have formed a three member committee composed of Karl Girton (PA), Ken Nicewicz (MA) and Bob Williams (WV), who will be looking at issues of interest to CARET. The committee will put these issues at the table and give their recommendations to the Northeast Summer Joint Session Planning Committee. A question was raised whether CARET would be willing to take the lead in designing the program for next year's Joint Session. CARET declined because they do not have the administrative structure needed to perform this task.

  14. Open Discussion - Vice Chair Steve Goodwin

    CREATE-21: Discussion of Joint Session Proceedings
    CREATE 21 Draft Proposal, June 2006
    CREATE 21 PowerPoint Update, June 2006

    Issues raised were:

  15. Nominations Committee Report and Elections - Tom Fretz
    Tom Fretz read the recommendations of the Nominations Committee Report as follows:

    A motion was made to approve the above nominations. The motion was seconded and approved.

    Four other advisor assignments for projects: NE1001, NECC1010, NRSP3 and NRSP6, are still pending and waiting for confirmation from the directors involved. An electronic vote will be solicited for these four assignments or will be voted on at the September meeting.

  16. Resolutions Committee Report - Bill Trumble
    Bill Trumble read three resolutions as follows:

    Resolution of Appreciation to Keith Cooper

    WHEREAS, Dr. Keith Cooper has distinguished himself as Acting Executive Dean and Dean for Research at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and

    WHEREAS, Dr. Cooper has contributed in many ways to the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA), serving as a member of the Multistate Activities Committee from 2003 to 2006, Administrative Advisor for NE-1013: Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Ozone in the Northeastern US and NECC-1010: Use of Residuals in Agriculture in the Northeast, and

    NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors meeting at Geneva, New York on July 11, 2006, expresses its sincerest appreciation to Dr. Keith Cooper for his many contributions, and wishes him much success and happiness in his future professional as well as personal activities.

    July 11, 2006

    signed

    Bruce McPheron, Chair
    Northeastern Regional Association of State
    Agricultural Experiment Station Directors

    Resolution of Appreciation to G. Bruce Wiersma

    WHEREAS, Dr. G. Bruce Wiersma has distinguished himself as Dean and Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station since 1991, and

    WHEREAS, Dr. Wiersma has contributed in many ways to the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA), serving as the Chair in 1999 and Administrative Advisor for NE-59: Multistate Research Coordination Northeastern Region and NRSP-3: The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). He also served in the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy’s Budget and Legislative Committee, and

    NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors meeting at Geneva, New York on July 11, 2006, expresses its sincerest appreciation to Dr. G. Bruce Wiersma for his many contributions, and wishes him much success and happiness in his future professional as well as personal activities.

    July 11, 2006

    signed

    Bruce McPheron, Chair
    Northeastern Regional Association of State
    Agricultural Experiment Station Directors

    Resolution of Appreciation

    WHEREAS, the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors participated in an important and productive meeting at the Ramada Inn Lakefront in Geneva, New York, and

    WHEREAS, the Directors also were involved in a joint meeting with deans of colleges, extension directors, and CARET representatives from the Northeast Region on July 10, and

    WHEREAS, the Northeastern Experiment Station Directors enjoyed the visit to the Cornell Ag. & Food Technology Park, wine-tasting and lovely dinner at Anthony Road Winery, and the surrounding area of the meeting venue, and

    NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Directors acknowledge their appreciation to Director Thomas Burr, Nancy Long and the Geneva-AES staff for their efforts in making the meeting a great success and a very enjoyable experience.

    July 11, 2006

    signed

    Bruce McPheron, Chair
    Northeastern Regional Association of State
    Agricultural Experiment Station Directors

    The motion made to accept the above resolutions was seconded and approved.

  17. Future Meeting Schedule - Tom Fretz

  18. Summary Comments and Closing Remarks by Vice Chair Goodwin
    Vice Chair Goodwin thanked everyone and adjourned the meeting at 11:35 a.m.


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