1998 Report from
Cooperative States Research,
Education & Extension
to NCR-148
- CSREES FY99 Budget
- Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998
- Office of Pest Management Policy
- Food Quality Protection Act
- Pesticides and National Strategy for Health Care Providers
- Pesticide Applicator Training and Certification Program Review
- IR-4 Has Moved!
- New IR-4 Associate Executive Director
- Joint Institute for Food Safety Research
- Fund for Rural America Grants
- CRIS System Being Updated
- The Scientific Cooperation Program
PROGRAM NEWS
- USDA Definition for IPM
- IPM Plan for Transition Years Being Developed
- CSREES Regional IPM Grants
- National Pesticide Impact Assessment Program
- NAPIAP - GPRA Work Group Progress on Indicators
- Pest Management Alternatives Program
- National Plant Breeding Study Published
- Pest Management Information Decision Support System
GENERAL NEWS
CSREES Appropriations ($$ in millions)
| FY 98 | FY 99 | Senate | House | |
| Extension | 423,376 | 437,987 | 437,181 | 416,789 |
| Research | 409,470 | 458,764 | 416,438 | 408,925 |
| Education | 26,100 | 27,052 | 27,144 | 26,800 |
| Total | 832,846 | 923,803 | 853,619 | 825,714 |
The above chart summarizes the FY 98 budget, the FY 99 budget, the Senate and House Appropriations under categories of education, extension, and research. Greater detail regarding individual budgets for specific programs are available on our legislative homepage.
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (S. 1150). Usually the research title is revised as a part of the Farm Bill, which is on a 5-year cycle. However, when the 1995 Farm Bill was passed, the research title was put on hold for 2 years. It's been under debate since that time and finally passed by Congress and signed by the President in June. Its purposes are to ensure that federally funded agricultural research, extension, and education address high priority concerns with national or multi-state significance, and to reform, extend and eliminate certain agricultural research programs. Some of the reforms which will affect how we do business at CSREES are that we will increase emphasis on multi-state and multi-function [combines research, education and extension]. CSREES has been directed to write regulations to govern the peer review process for grant funds and the merit review process for extension funds.
Office of Pest Management Policy. On September 8, 1997, Deputy Secretary Richard Rominger announced the creation of the Office of Pest Management Policy (OPMP). This Office was created to improve integration and coordination of pest management issues within USDA, and to strengthen communications with the existing network of grower organizations and crop specialists at land grant institutions. The activities coordinated by the Office will help increase USDA's responsiveness to the pest management needs of the agricultural community. OPMP is currently focused on helping EPA acquire pesticide use data and the development of "Crop Profiles." The current staff of OPMP are (contact information removed 1 June 2007):
| Allen Jennings, Director |
| Therese Murtagh, Deputy Director |
| Wilfred Burr, Entomologist |
| Dianne Harmon, Secretary |
| Ted Rogers, Horticulturist |
| Kent Smith, Plant Pathologist |
| Willis Wheeler, IR-4 Liaison and Chemist |
Food Quality Protection Act. PAS programs are responding to needs resulting from implementation of FQPA by determining what tactics will remain and how efficacious they are, what alternative tactics are in the developmental pipeline or in the registration process, identifying pest management systems that are vulnerable to FQPA implementation, and conducting research and extension programs to develop solutions to pest management problems and assist growers in implementing them. For more information: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/laws/fqpa/; http://www.pmac.net.
Pesticides and National Strategy for Health Care Providers. CSREES and other federal agencies are working with EPA to develop a national strategy to provide health care providers with training and information needed to recognize and manage pesticide poisonings. The strategy is aimed primarily at health care providers who serve farm workers. However, given the recent incidents of agriculture chemical use in urban households, health care providers at non-rural health clinics will also need training. The proceedings from the initial conference (April 23-24) will be available in mid-August. Contact: John Impson.
Pesticide Applicator Training and Certification Program Review. USDA and EPA have initiated a comprehensive national review of the Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) and Certification Program. Training is provided through state extension service PAT programs; state lead agencies are responsible for certification. The review is coordinated by an advisory committee from USDA (John Impson), EPA, state PAT and certification coordinators and external stakeholders. Working Groups are looking at: training content; infrastructure and deliver; funding; and evaluation. Working Groups used a comprehensive survey to identify key issues. Findings and recommendations will be used to develop a strategic plan to better meet training and certification needs. The strategic plan will be presented at the 1999 National Pesticide Applicator Training and Certification Workshop. Contacts: John Impson and Barry Brennan.
TOPIR-4: A National Agricultural Program to Clear Pest Control Agents for Minor Uses
IR-4 Has Moved!
IR-4 Headquarters is now located in a new building at 681
US Highway #1, North Brunswick, NJ. The building is part of the
Technology Centre of New Jersey, was once an executive office
building for Johnson and Johnson, and is called the "White
House". The telephone number remains 732-932-9575.
New IR-4 Associate Executive
Director
Bob Holm joined the IR-4 Headquarters staff on June 22, 1998
as Associate Executive Director and will assume the Executive
Director title on November 1. Dr. Holm received all three degrees
(B.S. in Agricultural Science, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Plant Physiology
and Biochemistry) from Purdue University sandwiched around a tour
of duty in the Army Chemical Corps at Ft. Detrick, MD. His professional
career started at Diamond Shamrock Corporation in Painesville,
OH as a plant physiologist conducting research on weed seed dormancy.
Bob gained experience in residue chemistry during a stint in Diamond's
Environmental Chemistry Group conducting 14C metabolism studies.
He managed the herbicide and plant growth regulator screening
program at Diamond before joining Mobil Crop Chemical in Edison,
NJ where he became Research Manager in 1980 with responsibility
for synthesis, biological evaluation, biochemistry, residue chemistry/environmental
fate, formulation, and the research farm. When Rhone-Poulenc purchased
the Crop Chemical business from Mobil in 1981, he became Director
of Agricultural Science in charge of research farms, product and
field development, registration, environmental fate/residue and
formulations, and moved to Monmouth Junction, NJ. When Rhone-Poulenc
merged with the Union Carbide agricultural business in 1987, Bob
moved to Research Triangle Park, NC as Director of Field Research
and Product Development. He joined Valent U.S.A. Corporation of
Walnut Creek, CA in 1991 as Vice-President, Technology, responsible
for research farms, product and field development, registration,
quality assurance, formulation, environmental fate/residue, as
well as corporate safety and stewardship programs. As Valent grew,
he focused on research farms, field and product development, quality
assurance, stewardship, and safety, as Director of Development.
(Adapted from IR-4 Newsletter 29:2, Summer, 1998).
Joint Institute for Food Safety Research. On July 3, 1998, President Bill Clinton released a memorandum for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Secretary of Agriculture asking them to advise him on forming a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research. The memorandum directs the Secretaries to report back to him within 90 days on the creation of a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research that will: "(1) develop a strategic plan for conducting food safety research activities consistent with my Food Safety Initiative; and "(2) efficiently coordinate all Federal food safety research, including with the private sector and academia." This Institute, which will operate under HHS/USDA joint leadership, will cooperate and consult with interested parties, including other Federal agencies and offices--particularly, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy--state and local agencies focusing on research and public health, and on consumers, producers, industry, and academia. The Institute will make special efforts to build on endeavors of the private sector, using public-private partnerships or other appropriate mechanisms.
Fund for Rural America Grants. In FY 1997, 461 planning grant applications were received and 42 were selected for funding up to $25,000 each. Center Grant proposals were reviewed this summer, however, funds for Center Grants were not available. On April 27th, Secretary Dan Glickman announced 115 grants totaling more than $31 million for research, education, and extension projects serving rural Americans. "These grants will strengthen America's rural communities," Glickman said. "Many of the grants involve creative new partnerships that link the science of tomorrow to the challenges facing rural America today." The grants support projects designed to improve the quality of life in rural communities. The future of the Fund for Rural America is uncertain. While the Fund is still authorized, neither the House or Senate has appropriated money for FY99. Additionally, the House has capped the mandatory funds authorized in the Agricultural Research Education and Extension Reform Act of 1998 at zero. Descriptions of funded projects and information on the Fund for Rural America are available on the Fund's website.
CRIS System Being Updated. USDA and the land-grant system are working together to enhance the classification system used in the Current Research Information System. This is the most comprehensive review and modification of CRIS since it was created in 1966. The new classification system will be introduced in 1999.
The Scientific Cooperation
Program (SCP). SCP provides financial support for international
cooperation in research efforts that benefit U.S. agriculture
and forestry. Managed by the Research and Scientific Exchanges
Division (RSED), within the USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service,
the program funds scientific exchanges and longer term collaborative
research between U.S. and foreign scientists. Scientists submitting
proposals must be affiliated with a U.S. university, federal or
state agency, or private non-profit organization. U.S. scientists
may collaborate with an appropriate research institution in any
country with which the United States has diplomatic relations.
Cooperation also can involve any of the International Agricultural
Research Centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR).
There is a Request for Proposal (RFP), deadline September 1, 1998.
PROGRAM NEWS
USDA Definition for IPM. Harold Coble, USDA IPM Coordinator, and the USDA IPM Committee are developing an IPM definition to be used as the basis for measurement of IPM adoption and as the basis for development of commodity-specific definitions (elements). Contact Harold Coble.
IPM Plan for Transition Years Being Developed. Harold Coble, USDA IPM Coordinator, and the USDA IPM Committee are preparing a plan for research and extension efforts to help farmers adjust to changes in pest management that may result from implementation of FQPA. The plan has six objectives, including expansion and revision of the Administration's 75% acreage goal, support for 20 large "Phase II" projects, initiation of a new research and extension program for "crops at risk from FQPA", development of decision support systems, development of regional IPM center through the Fund for Rural America, and expansion of public/private partnerships. Contact Harold Coble.
CSREES Regional IPM Grants. Competitive grants support the continuum of research and extension needed to increase implementation of IPM methods. The priorities for the program are set at the regional level. Regional contacts are: Gary McIntyre (Western); David McKenzie (Northeastern); Eldon Ortman (North Central); and Bobby Pass (Southern).
National Pesticide Impact Assessment Program. NAPIAP State Liaison Representatives met May 5-7, 1998, in Sacramento, California to discuss new opportunities as the programs undergoes leadership evolution and changes to respond to FQPA. NAPIAP now looks to the Office of Pest Management Policy to provide primary leadership for its programmatic components, and CSREES will supporting land-grant activities as federal partner. Leadership roles of the regional coordinators will be enhanced. Contact Dennis Kopp.
NAPIAP - GPRA Work Group Progress on Indicators. CSREES/PAS' Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) Program has just completed a facilitated participatory process to improve the indicators to be reported in compliance with the intent of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). This process obtained input from all program staff throughout the Land- Grant University System, thus ensuring that the program's GPRA indicators are reportable, measurable and predictable. Following the lead of PAT, program leaders for the National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program (NAPIAP) and the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, using the same facilitator, Lee Frost-Kumpt, engaged in a jointly sponsored and coordinated process of working with their partner program staff from the System to improve the quality of each program's GPRA indicators. The NAPIAP and IPM GPRA work teams met July 8-9, 1998 in Washington, D.C. The NAPIAP process is on a fast track and expected to be completed in November 1998 and the IPM process will be completed in early 1999. A draft list of strategic objectives, performance goals, and measures/indicators which cover the range of NAPIAP program activities will be shared with all NAPIAP program staff prior to September 1, 1998. System input will be solicited by a facilitated process at each of the 4 NAPIAP regional meetings between September 15 and October 8, 1998. Regional input will be incorporated for a final draft of the indicators for system-wide review. The outcome of these activities will be a new set of reportable and results-based indicators for both programs, compliant with GPRA and with broad acceptance by the Land-Grant System's program staff. For additional information, contact Dr. Dennis Kopp.
Pest Management Alternatives Program. USDA has selected sixteen projects for funding through the 1998 Pest Management Alternatives Program (PMAP) managed by CSREES. PMAP, now in its third year, works to identify and develop alternatives to pesticide uses. The goals of the PMAP program are (1) to develop commodity profiles that summarize production practices, pesticide use/usage data and available pest management alternatives for pesticides considered a high priority for tolerance reassessment under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA); and (2) develop and demonstrate alternatives and possible mitigation strategies to ensure that producers have reliable methods of managing pests.
The selected projects have been identified using a novel two-tier review process. The 1998 PMAP projects were evaluated first for relevancy to PMAP goals by a diverse group of stakeholders that included agricultural producers, crop consultants, public interest groups, Land Grant Universities, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the USDA. Proposals were then reviewed by a peer panel of scientists for technical merit. The scores from each group were combined to determine the finalists.
PMAP funds a wide range of projects and plays an important role in implementation of FQPA. The 1998 program supports projects on pest management in vegetable production in Delaware, Florida, New York, California, and the Great Lakes region. The 1998 program also supports pest management projects for fruit production including peaches, pears, blueberries, cranberries, and prunes. Also, two 1998 PMAP projects evaluate IPM techniques for insect control in Florida and North Carolina livestock production. PMAP grant recipients include universities, commodity associations, and an association dedicated to alternative agriculture. For the 1998 program, CSREES provided $1.5M of funding and the EPA contributed an additional $124,000.
USDA will request proposals for the 1999 PMAP program in January. USDA would like to expand this important program for achieving risk reduction and effective pest management. The 1999 President's budget included a significant increase in funds for the PMAP program. Contact Steve Yaninek.
National Plant Breeding Study Published. A study was conducted by Kenneth Fry, Iowa State University. It documents plant breeding and genetics capacity in the United States (public and private). Strategic planning exercises are now underway using this study as a basis to bring attention to critical issues, and to identify needs and seek additional resources. Contact Marsha Stanton.
Sorghum Disease Epidemic. In 1997, a new plant disease, Sorghum ergot, was first detected in the U.S. in south Texas in March 1997. This new disease had moved into all major sorghum growing areas of the world in just two years. Once it had entered into Texas it spread rapidly into the major sorghum growing areas of the U.S. by September 1997. During 1997, it was detected in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Georgia. The Pest management Team, PAS-CSREES, unanimously favored providing the plant portion of the critical issues funds to support sorghum research. The research areas were decided by researchers, federal agencies, and industry. Applicants were then requested to apply for funds to support one-year projects for research activities. The three peer-reviewed projects selected were "Analysis of toxins associated with Claviceps africana infection of grain sorghum", Dr. Richard Shelby, Auburn University; "Epidemiology and life history of Claviceps africana in the Great Plains", Dr. Jim Slack, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and "Proposal to develop integrated control of sorghum ergot", Dr. Gary Odvody, Texas A&M University. In addition to these funds, extension support was received to help sponsor a workshop. The Conference on the Status of Sorghum Ergot in North America was held in Corpus Christie, Texas from June 24 -26, 1998. The meeting was attended by about 130 participants, including researchers, extension agents, crop consultants, growers, and industry. The purpose of the meeting was to address current research issues, including epidemiology of the disease; educational programs and communications; control programs and treatments; and management practices for this new disease which was first found in the U.S. in March 1997. Even though this meeting focused on North America, representative from Australia, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Honduras gave updates of the status of the disease in their respective countries. The opening session of the meeting was a panel discussion on Inter agency/Inter State Collaboration on Sorghum Ergot Research. Panel members included USDA-CSREES, USDA-ARS, Kansas State University, National Grain Sorghum Producers, and Pioneer Hybrid Seed Co. Presentations focused on rapid response in cooperation and support to meet the needs of the sorghum industry when this new disease entered into the U.S. Another topic of interest addressed was the possibility of mycotoxins produced by the fungus as well as other mycotoxins associated with sorghum ergot damaged sorghum. The meeting concluded with field demonstrations of current management practices at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and other sorghum research nurseries in the area. (For more information contact; Dr. Robin N. Huettel, PAS, 202-401-5804).Funding was also received for the development of an interactive website on sorghum ergot coordinated by ARS, University of Puerto Rico, and Texas A&M University. The project leader is Dr. Jeff Dahlberg.
Pest Management Information Decision Support System. This system is being developed to link informational databases to provide decision-makers with ready access to pest management information so that critical needs can be identified and prioritized, particularly as FQPA is implemented. Contact Rick Meyer.
PROPOSAL
SUBMISSION DEADLINES
1998
November 24: EPA - FY 98 Sustainable Development Challenge
Grant.
November 30: Biopesticide Research Program, IR-4, contact: Dr.
Bill Biehn.
Program & Funding Information
CSREES Home Page: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/
Funding Opportunities: These websites may lead you to some potential funding sources. The list is not comprehensive, but as a starting point in your search for grant support.
Other Federal Departments/Private Sector Sources:
National Science Foundation: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/research_edu_community.jsp
National Institute of Health: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm
Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/grants.htm
National Ctr. for Environmental Res. and Quality Assurance:
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/grants/
The Foundation Center Online: http://foundationcenter.org/
Community of Science: http://fundingopps.cos.com/
*list edited 1 June 2007 and where websites were no longer able to be specified, references were removed.
Ricardo Gomez, PAS National Program Leader for Horticulture, Food Safety, and Tropical/Subtropical Agriculture retired on July 31 after 26 years of public service. Colleagues at CSREES will miss his positive input, helpful presence, and breadth of experience. We wish Ric and his family a contented and healthy retirement. Adios amigo, lo extranaremos.
Dr. Robert C. Riley, emeritus faculty of CSREES, Plant and Animal Systems, has been elected as a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America. Each year the Entomological Society elects up to ten members as Fellows in the Society, based on their outstanding contributions to entomology. Dr. Riley has been elected based on his outstanding contributions to entomology programs within the Land Grant system which spanned a career of over 28 years of service with the USDA, Cooperative State Research Service (and subsequently, with the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service). During his career he served as a highly knowledgeable source of information on the research activities of entomology programs nationwide within both Land-Grant institutions and the Federal government. Bob was instrumental in the development, funding and staffing of USDA Programs such as: the IR-4 Program, the National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, the Integrated Pest Management Program, Pest Management Information Decision Support System and the Pest Management Alternatives Program. Dr. Riley will be recognized at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Phytopathological Society and the Entomological Society of America, November 8-12, 1998 in Las Vegas, NV.
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
1998
November 12-13: ARS/CSREES First National Food Safety
Research Conference, Alexandria, VA
November 12-13: Alien Invasive Species Databases: Gap Identification
and Use Strategies, Las Vegas NV
1999
January 19-21: 10th USDA Interagency Gypsy Moth and
Other Invasive Species Research Forum, Annapolis, MD January
31-February 2: Second Anual Progress Review of the Five-Year
Silverleaf Whitefly Research, Action and Technology Transfer Plan,
Phoenix, AZ
March 8-10: Int'l. Conference on Emerging Technologies
for Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Research, and Implementation,
Raleigh, NC
May 11-14: Western Region Pesticide Meeting, Phoenix, AZ
August 8-11: Nat'l. Pesticide Applicator Training &
Certification Workshop, Portland, ME
August 12: Northeastern PIAP Meeting, Portland, ME
October 4-5: North Central PIAP Meeting, Washington, DC
December 7-10: North Central Weed Science Society Meeting,
St. Paul, MN
December 12-16: Entomological Society of America Annual
Meeting, Atlanta, GA
2000
August 20-26: 21st International Congress of Entomology,
Iguassu Falls, Brazil
December 3-7: Entomological Society of America/ESC (Ent.
Soc. Canada)/ESQ (Ent. Soc. Quebec), Annual Meeting, Montreal,
Canada
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To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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