This project was viewed by the RRC as an important issue to the NE and will serve as a forum for integrating both research and extension. Recommendation: Approved for development as a Multistate Research Project.
This project has the potential to fill critical knowledge gaps and provide consistent, quality information to the user community. While the project was enthusiastically received by the committee, several concerns need addressing before final approval. Recommendation: Approve NE-200 subject to resolution of the following points: a) clarify relationship with W-170, especially with regard to collaborations and conflicts; b) generalize the title and outline statements so this is not viewed solely as a Northeast project; c) provide more substantial proof that heavy loading of soils is an adequate representation of long-term, cumulative loading, as indicated in the Peer Review Response; and d) consider expansion of the scope of work to include studies on "gray water" irrigation to golf courses and school fields. Dan Decker will be asked to continue as the Administrative Advisor.
Recommend to table action pending clarification of the role and function of Multistate Research Coordinating Committees (see # 6 below).
Recommend to table action pending clarification of the role and function of Multistate Research Coordinating Committees (see # 6 below).
|
Project |
Title |
AA |
|
NE-138 |
Epidemiology and control of emerging strains of poultry respiratory disease agents |
Bill Saylor, DE with Dave MacKenzie |
|
NE-148 |
Regulation of nutrient use in food-producing animals |
William Vinson, WV |
|
NEC1000 |
The Northeast Center for Rural Development |
No action |
|
NEC1001 |
Land Use Management |
No action |
|
NEREAP-3 |
Integrated Pest Management |
No action |
|
NEREAP-4 |
Food Safety |
Cameron Hackney, WV |
Issues relating to the future of NE Regional Coordinating Committees (RCCs) were discussed with regard to the emerging national Multistate Research Guidelines, and the requirements of the 1998 AREERA for formula funds. The strategy of tracking expenditures against informal activities for multistate, integrated activities using contributing Hatch projects has not been agreed to directly by CSREES. Alternative methods have been offered by Delaware [to use 12 functionally integrated college programs] and South Dakota [time and effort reports] are also under review by the agency.
Given the sense of urgency to have an expenditure-tracking system in place sometime soon, it was decided to get a determination by the agency as to the suitability of proposals to track activity expenditures through plan of work programs and Hatch projects contributing to regional coordinating committees. D. MacKenzie was asked to draft a decision memorandum for subsequent submission by J. Nye. The memo would request CSREES Administrator C. Laughlin to render a clear decision on these two alternatives, with the intention to complete this decision making process by the end of next week.
D. MacKenzie proposed an approach for identifying NE priorities. By drawing on information existing in the previous NE Capacity Inventory, the state-based Plans of Work, and the CSREES analysis of the "Key Words and Themes", it was proposed that a few (e.g., 3 to 6) regional initiatives could be each described in a short statement (say 1 to 2 pages). The model offered was based on the University of Maryland's recently developed 5 initiatives for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Much simpler than strategic planning, the initiatives statements allow declarations based on stakeholder input without the detail often associated with more elaborate planning processes. Example items offered for discussion purposes included topics such as food safety, animal waste management, IPM, and land use. Each of these topics, as well as others, have emerged as stakeholder needs, and are found in high frequency in the state-based Plans of Work.
The agreed proposal was to ask the NE Priorities Committee (D. Rossi, Chair) to complete the selection of a set of regional topics, write a set of initiative statements, and request the NERA membership [and perhaps the NEED membership] to endorse the set, along with some targets that would be used to measure progress toward achieving the initiatives' goals. A collective target for the region might be a 10 % shift in resources over a 5-year period. Not all stations would necessarily contribute, but in the aggregate, over all of the topic areas change in regional emphases would be demonstrable. CRIS would be able to help set the benchmarks, and track progress against that benchmark.
The Chair of NERA has requested preparation of a plan and budget to develop the NE Paperless Management System into a national system. It has been proposed that the estimated cost for initializing the databases and operating the system on an annual basis be presented to the other regions for their consideration. The issue is primarily one of preserving the integrity of the system across all users, rather that customizing the software within each region. The request has been given to Rubie Mize, and some preliminary budget numbers should be ready for distribution later this week.
The members voted to amend the RRC report to extend the approved period of the NEREAP-3 (IPM) for five years (10/2000 to 9/2005). In addition, R. Seem agreed to serve as the Administrative Advisor for NEREAP-3.