The Board met on January 9-10, 1986, in Washington, D.C. Thirteen of the fifteen members, together with other invited scientists, reviewed ongoing nutrition information education, and research programs and prepared an evaluation report to the Secretary. The Task Group on "Solutions to Human Nutrition Problems through Changes in the Agricultural/Food System" and a second Task Group on "Implications of the RDAs and Dietary Guidelines" completed their tasks. A third Task Group also completed its review of research needs in the area of nutrient composition. Reports from these task groups were considered at the meeting of the Board on January 9-10 and included in the report to the Secretary, submitted on June 4, 1986. New Task Groups on Nutrition Education and Research Accomplishments were formed. These met on September 10 and 23, respectively, to initiate their work. National Plant Genetic Resources Board This Board assesses national needs and identifies high-priority programs for conserving utilizing, and distributing plant genetic resources for the Secretary of Agriculture and officers of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. The program's aim is to ensure the availability of genetic resources to provide for a high level of production efficiency for field, horticultural, or forest crops utilized for either domestic consumption or export. The Board met October 8-9, 1985, in Washington, D.C. Sixteen of the eighteen members attended along with two ex-officio members, the Executive Secretary, and twenty-two observers. The Board met again May 14-15, 1986, in Washington, D.C. All but one of the members and ex-officio members were present, along with twenty-two observers. Policy Advisory Committee for the Science and Education Research Grants Program This advisory committee was established by the Secretary of Agriculture. Its members include representatives from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the National Research Council-National Academy of Sciences, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Energy, and Agriculture; the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy; a scientist from private industry; and five nationally recognized scientists representing Land-Grant and non-Land-Grant institutions. It is concerned with administration of the Science and Education Research Grants Program to assure that research is carried out on the highest priority research areas and has the widest participation by qualified scientists. On May 13, and September 9, 1986, 28 and 38 persons, respectively, met with the Animal Health Science Research Advisory Board This Board is composed of one representative from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS), and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of USDA; a representative from the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services; two representatives from accredited colleges of veterinary medicine; two from the State Agricultural Experiment Stations; and three representatives from national livestock and poultry organizations. The Board consults with and advises the Secretary of Agriculture on the implementation of animal health and disease research programs and recommends priorities in animal health and disease research. The Board met in Washington, D.C., on September 26, 1986, to review the status and progress of animal health research programs in CSRS, to make recommendations on the administration of these programs and to provide priorities for animal health research for fiscal year 1987. Ten members were present. The Board reviewed animal health research priorities and developed guidelines to be followed under the CSRS Animal Health Special Research Grant program for fiscal year 1987. These guidelines include recommended allocation of research funds to solve disease problems facing food animal industries of the U.S. This allows the best scientific proposals to compete for funds to solve disease problems constraining the production efficiency of each food animal species. They also recommended that CSRS Animal Health staff adjust computation methods for determinig Section 1433 Animal Health capacity so as to provide better efficiency in development of formula data. This enables the CSRS staff to provide fund distribution soon after the annual budget is endorsed by the Administration. The The Board discussed the final report on the CSRS Animal Health Research Program Study, which was completed by the National Academy of Sciences in July 1986. next annual meeting will take place at one of the primary animal research facilities in Iowa or Nebraska. Technical Advisory Committee for Science and Education Research Grants Program This Committee advises the Secretary on the relative technical and scientific merits of research grant applications submitted to the Department. It consists of scientists recognized by their peers in the areas of agricultural research included under the Science and Education Grants Programs, with consideration given to field of specialization and geographic and institutional distribution. Committee members evaluate research proposals and recommend those that should be selected for research grants. Between February and August, twenty-five panels evaluated projects and recommended grant awards in areas in need of research emphasis as follows: A similar review process is anticipated in fiscal year 1987. The Food Security Cooperative Forestry Research Advisory Council This Council submits a report to the Secretary of Agriculture on regional and national planning and coordination of forestry research within the Federal and State agencies, forestry schools, and the forest industries, and advises the Secretary on national and institutional administration and management of the forestry research programs. Fourteen Council members met on December 12-13, 1985, in Washington, D.C. to discuss the status of the McIntire-Stennis Forestry Research Program, forestry research planning in the universities, coordination of forestry research, and Council operations. For the first time the Council's report was published and widely disseminated. Fourteen Council members met on December 12-13, 1985, in Washington, D.C. to discuss the status of the McIntire-Stennis Forestry Research Program, forestry research planning in the universities, coordination of forestry research, and Council operations. For the first time the Council's report was published and widely disseminated. A meeting will be held December 9-11, 1986, in Washington, D.C., to bring the Council up to date on program status, achievements of the McIntire-Stennis Program during its first twenty-five years, and related matters. Committee of Nine The Committee of Nine recommends cooperative regional projects for research in which two or more State agricultural experiment stations cooperate to solve problems that concern the agriculture of more than one State. On or before the beginning of each fiscal year, the Committee recommends a schedule for allocation of the Regional Research Fund (RRF) to cooperative projects for approval by the Administrator, Cooperative State Research Service, on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture. Meetings were held on December 3, 1985, in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 2, 1986, and May 21-22, 1986, in Washington, D.C., and September 9-10, 1986, in Fort Collins, Colorado. On May 2, briefings were arranged to reaffirm the statutory requirements of the Committee. At the May 21-22 meeting, the Committee reviewed and evaluated regional research projects in their first two years of operation. The evaluation results were communicated to participating Station Directors and project Administrative Advisers. At the September meeting, the Committee reviewed new and/or revised RRF projects and attended briefings on the Western Region Integrated Pest Management Project and the National Seed Storage Laboratory. All members attended the meetings. There are approximately 223 active regional research projects. In fiscal year 1986, the Committee reviewed 41 new or revised regional research proposals. Of the proposals reviewed, there were 18 new, 20 revisions, and 19 extensions recommended for approval. The Committee recommended that one RRF proposal be rejected and 2 of the 41 proposals reviewed be deferred and resubmitted after the Committee's concerns had been addressed by the technical committees. The Committee scrutinized both the Interregional (IR) and Regional off-the-top budget submissions, and unanimously recommended their approval. Agriculture Biotechnology and Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee The purpose of this Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on policies, programs, operations, and activities associated with the conduct of agricultural biotechnology research. Its duties include overseeing the review of proposed research projects on genetically engineered organisms, evaluating the adequacy of draft proposals used by USDA to prepare environmental assessments of the above research projects, recommending alterations to research guidelines and protocols as necessary, advising to other Federal and state agencies on agriculture related research projects, and providing information to and maintaining cognizance of Institutional Biosafety Committees nationwide to assure their capability to carry out their agriculture related functions. The Committee will consist of members from outside the Federal Government who are knowledgeable in technical disciplines involved in agricultural biotechnology research; agricultural production practices; biological containment, biological field release; applicable laws and regulations; standards of professional conduct and practice public attitudes; public health; occupational health; and ethics. Establishment of the Committee was dicussed in a Federal Register notice on June 26, 1986 and is still underway. There may be one or more meetings in 1987. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND COMMODITY PROGRAMS: Agribusiness Promotion Council The Agribusiness Promotion Council (APC) assists USDA in carrying out the agricultural development aspects of President Reagan's Caribbean Basin Initiative, and advises USDA on strategies and policies for facilitating agribusiness and improving the investment climate in the Caribbean Basin countries. The Council provides advice on the operation of an international Agribusiness Information Center to serve U.S. firms interested in agricultural business opportunities in the Caribbean Basin. It also advises USDA on methods of encouraging U.S. agribusiness participation in activities contributing to economic growth through agricultural development in Caribbean and Central American countries. In January 1986, the APC established five committees: (1) Upper Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize). Committee members recommended use of transport to open up markets in North America, particularly for fresh produce, and better communication with Caribbean Basin Initiative countries on APC's role. (2) Lower Central America (Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic). The Committee met in January in Washington, D.C. and in September in Panama City, concurrent with the First Annual International Fair of Agriculture, Cattle, Fish and Feed (FIAGA '86), at which it conducted a seminar on market trends and opportunities for non-traditional products from the Caribbean Basin. (3) Caribbean Basin. At meetings on January 10, in Washington, D.C., and October 5, in Puerto Rico, members made recommendations to enhance trade between the U.S. and the eastern Caribbean and Haiti. (4) Transportation and Infrastructure. The Committee developed a work plan to support the Caribbean/Central American Action Maritime Workshop, which was held in Grenada, June 1986, and a two-day workshop in November 1986 in Miami on transportation and infrastructure issues. (5) Investment Climate and Finance. This Committee met in January in Washington and again in September in San Juan, Puerto Rico, concurrently with the USDA Agribusiness Development Workshop for the Caribbean Basin. It is conducting two surveys to determine the perceptions of the U.S. and Caribbean Business communities on constraints to two-way trade and investment. An agribusiness investment opportunity mission to selected Central American and eastern Caribbean Countries is expected to follow up the survey results. Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (8) These private sector advisory committees seek information and advice from representative elements of the private sector on negotiating objectives and bargaining positions before entering into a trade agreement, the operation any trade agreement once entered into, and other matters arising in connection with the administration of the trade policy of the United States. The committees currently in existence are an Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC) and several Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATACs) in agricultural commodities (cotton, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, grain and feed, livestock and livestock products, oilseeds and oilseed products, poultry and eggs, and tobacco). The APAC provides advice regarding overall agricultural trade issues, and the ATACs provide detailed technical advice and information on their respective commodities. Each of these committees is composed of various agricultural interests such as farmers, farm and commodity organizations, processors, and traders, etc. The committees are reasonably limited in size to cover the commodity lines involved. During fiscal year 1986, some topics discussed in meetings were: U.S.-Canada Free Trade Negotiations, unfair trade practices and trade legislation, conversion to the Harmonized Tariff System, Mexico's accession to the GATT, Section 301 cases on Citrus/Pasta, Poultry, Oilseeds, and Leather, Japanese beef import policies and Japanese import duties, and EC and Japanese inspection systems. Agricultural Export Enhancement Advisory Group This Group was established to provide advice on the administration of the Agricultural Export Enhancement Program, which was instituted in May 1985 to expand export sales of specific U.S. agricultural commodities in targeted markets. Objectives of the Export Enhancement Program are to increase exports of U.S. farm products and to encourage trading partners to begin serious negotiation on agricultural trade problems. A meeting of the Group was held on October 9, 1985, in Washington, D.C. to update members on the status of the Export Enhancement Program. For the remainder of FY 1986 members were updated with periodic individual phone contacts, and weekly status report mailings. Committee activity in FY 1987 will be limited to weekly status report mailings and other contacts as necessary. MARKETING AND INSPECTION SERVICES: Federal Grain Inspection Service Advisory Committee The purpose of this Committee is to advise the Administrator of the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) on the effective and economic implementation of the U. S. Grain Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 87. The Assistant Secretary for Marketing and Inspection Services is the Chairperson, the Administrator of FGIS is Vice Chairman, and the Assistant to the Administrator is Executive Secretary. The members represent the interests of all segments of the grain industry including grain inspection and weighing agencies. The Committee met four times during FY 1986. The first meeting was in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the other three meetings were in Washington, D.C. During the past year, the Committee made the following recommendations: (1) An interagency task force of EPA, FDA, and USDA should be established to improve communication and obtain consistency on infestation issues. (2) FGIS should request comments through the Federal Register on whether to distinguish between types of insects in all grains and whether to create a separate grade column for insect-damaged kernels in wheat only. (3) FGIS should assure that items in the FGIS Grain Insect Task Force Report, which required internal control mechanisms, be accomplished. (4) FGIS should initiate, in cooperation with the Extension Service and commodity and producer groups, an education program on insects and insect control. (5) FGIS, should propose expressing dockage to the nearest 0.1 percent. (6) FGIS should prohibit the practice of allowing dust collected after weighing and sampling to be added back before weighing and sampling. (7) FGIS should not introduce new regulations to control the handling of dust which would add to the costs without enhancing sales. (8) Standardization and compliance activities should be maintained under appropriated funding. |