NORTHEAST MULTISTATE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE MEETING

The Admiral Fell Inn - Board Room [5th Floor]
Historic Fell’s Point, 888 South Broadway, Baltimore MD 21231

March 23, 2009
1:00pm to 4:00pm

Chair, Bill Vinson (WV)

Members: Michael Vayda (VT), Tom Burr (NYG), Kirby Stafford III (CT-NH) and Bob Schrader (NEED)

1. 2009 NERA Planning Grant - MAC held a teleconference on March 9 to discuss the following proposals.
   Summary of MAC Recommendations

   NE0901: Addressing Research and Extension Needs of the Emerging Cold-Climate Wine Industry in the Northeast and Upper Midwest
   NE0905: Integrating Pest Management and Pollinator Protection in Insect-Pollinated Specialty Crops
   NE0906: The Role of Cultural Specialty Crops in Providing Food Security and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Refugee and Emerging Ethnic Farmer Populations in the Northeast

   Action: MAC recommends awarding the 2009 grant to NE0901, NE0905 and NE0906.

2. National Multistate Research Award
   http://www.nera.umd.edu/March2009Meeting/2009ESSAwardGuidelines.pdf

   Action: Will be discussed at the NERA Meeting. Northeast is the only region that had not received a nomination. Is there one from our portfolio that we can identify and nominate, or re-submit NE1033: Biologic Improvement of Chestnut through Technologies that Address Management of the Species, its Pathogens and Pests?

3. Revision of the Northeast Supplementary Guidelines governing the use of multistate fund for Coordinating Committees (NECC, NEERA)
   http://www.nera.umd.edu/March2009Meeting/MultistateCCandERA.pdf

   Action: Will be discussed at the NERA meeting.

4. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1401: Plant-parasitic Nematode Management as a Component of Sustainable Soil Health Programs in Horticultural and Field Crop Production Systems (Renewal of NE1019) [10/2009-2016]

   Action: Recommends approval. Request for seven years, 10/2009 to 2016, also approved.

5. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1521 Wood Utilization Research : Biofuels, Bioproducts, Hybrid Biomaterials Composites Production, and Traditional Forest Products (Renewal of NE 506) [7/2009-2014]

   Action: Recommends approval.

6. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1522 Changing the Health Trajectory for Older Adults through Effective Diet and Activity Modifications (Renewal of NE 1023) [10/2009-2014]

   Action: Recommends approval.

7. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1561: Optimization of Poultry Welfare and Production Systems for the 21st Century (Renewal of NE 1022) [10/2009-2014]

   Action: Recommends conditional approval. They should encourage additional participation from the Northeast Region (CT is the only participant from the region). They should also address the need to have a more extensive literature review.

8. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1601: Hydropedology: Genesis, Properties, and Distribution of Hydromorphic Soils (Renewal of NE 1021) [10/2009-2014]

   Action: Recommends approval.

9. Request to approve the proposal, NE_TEMP1541: Environmental Impacts of Equine Operations (New) [10/2009-2014]

   Action: Recommends conditional approval. They should encourage participation from other Northeast states such as VT, MA and MD, and engage more extension involvement.

10. Request to approve the Coordinating Committee proposal, NE_TEMP1581: Adaptive Management for Improved Nutrient Management (New) [4/2009-2014]

    Action: Recommends approval and designation as a NEERA (Northeast Education/Extension and Research Activity) to clearly capture the extension and education components of the project.

11. Request to approve a one-year extension for project NE504: New England Center for Invasive Plants [8/2007-2010]

    Action: Recommends an extraordinary one-year extension approval, not normally granted to 500-series Rapid Response projects. If the intention is to continue, the process for submitting a 5-year multistate proposal should be followed. There is no intent to establish a precedent for extending 500-series projects.

12. Request to approve the Request to Write for project NE507: Biology, Ecology and Management of Emerging Disease Vectors [2/2010-2015]

    Action: Recommends approval. MAC suggests that the technical committee submits their peer-reviewed proposal for consideration at this year's summer meeting. If approved, the new project could start on 10/2009 to coincide with the federal fiscal year, which USDA prefers for multistate projects.

13. Request for off-the-top funding for FY09-10 for Northeast Multistate Projects:
    Summary of NE-9 and NE-59 requests from FY2005 to FY2010
    • NE9: Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources = Funding requested is $208,000.
      NE-9 Progress Report
      NE-9 FY2010 Budget Request
    • NE59: Multistate Research Coordination, Northeastern Region = Funding requested is 40,788.
      The funding requested is to support the Northeastern Regional Center for Rural Development.
      NE-59 FY2010 Budget Request

    Action: Recommends approval for NE9 and NE59 in the amounts requested. MAC requests that NERCRD submits an annual accomplishments report with the request for off-the-top funding in the future.

14. Request for off-the-top funding for FY09-10 for NRSPs
    Summary of NRSP requests
    • NRSP-1 - [Budget Request]
      
    • NRSP-3 - [Budget Request]
      
    • NRSP-4 - [Budget Request][Cover Letter]
      
    • NRSP-5 - Note: No budget request submitted. NRSP5 will terminate on Sept. 30, 2009
      
    • NRSP-6 - [Budget Request]NPGCC Funding Recommendations
      
    • NRSP-7 - [Budget Request]
      
    • NRSP-8 - [Budget Request]

    Action: MAC recommends approval for NRSPs 1 (one-year extension approved to 2010), 4, 6 and 8, as they follow the budget plan already approved.
    NRSP-3 and 7, decision will be deferred subject to the results of the review for the new proposals submitted.

15. NRSP Proposals
    • NRSP_temp3: The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) [10/2009-2014]
    • NRSP_temp7: A National Program for Minor Use Animal Drugs [10/2009-2014]
    • New NRSP_temp161: National Animal Nutrition Program [10/2009-2014]
    • New NRSP_temp201: The Specialty Crop Regulatory Assistance Program [10/2009-2014]

    Action:For NRSP_temp3 - MAC recommends approval. Yearly $50K request from off-the-top is a reasonable support from the system for a project that may have national impact.
    For NRSP_temp7 - MAC recommends deferring decision as the proposal is incomplete. It is not clear as to how long funding will be needed from the system. Recommends further discussion with the NERA members.
    For NRSP_temp161 - MAC recommends not approving the proposal.
    For NRSP_temp201 - MAC recommends further discussion at the NERA meeting with the full membership.

16. Advisor Assignments:
    • NE1022 (New NE_temp1561): Poultry Production Systems: Optimization of Production and Welfare Using Physiological, Behavioral and Physical Assessments
    • NE1026: Weed Management Strategies for Sustainable Cropping Systems [10/2006-2011]
    • NE1027: Ovarian Influences on Embryonic Survival in Ruminants [10/2007-2012]
    • NE1033: Biological Improvement of Chestnut through Technologies that Address Management of the Species, its Pathogens and Pests [10/2008-2013] - Recommends Brad Hillman (NJ)
    • NEERA1000: Northeast Pasture Consortium [10/2006-2011]
    • NRSP1: Current Research Information System [10/2004-2010]
    • NRSP8: National Animal Genome Research Program [10/2008-2013] - Recommends Tom Burr (NYG)

17. New MAC Chair and NRSP Review Committee Representative will be Dr. Mike Vayda. He will also serve as Chair of the NRSP Review Committee (2010-2011).

18. NIMSS Update - Dan Rossi and Rubie Mize

19. Other business

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