S65: Multistate Research Coordination, Southern Region
(Multistate Research Project)
Status: Active
S65: Multistate Research Coordination, Southern Region
Duration: 10/01/1999 to 09/30/2029
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Subsection 3(c) 3 of the Hatch Act (69 Stat. 671) authorizes use of Federal Grant funds for cooperative research in which two or more States Agricultural Experiment Stations are cooperating to solve problems that concern the agriculture of more than one state. Section 4 further authorizes the use of appropriations to the States for planning, coordinating, and conducting cooperative research. The cooperative research is carried out under specific regional projects recommended by the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture. In some instances, extended cooperation under formal research plans in unnecessary if conferences, work groups and like methods can serve to bring researchers together for exchange of experience and opinion and coordination of State and Federal research. In many cases, problems can be solved by such initial attack without the need for more formal interstate cooperation. In order to conserve effort and expense in the administration of RRF and to facilitate cooperation action on urgent problems, this RR Coordination Project can serve as authorization for such conferences, work groups and like methods.
Regional Research Funds are allotted to the individual States for participation in the RRF program. Coordination of the research between the States and between projects requires interstate travel of State station scientists, administrative advisers, and scientists for technical committee meetings, conferences, and work groups and appurtenant services. The technical committee is a distinct entity. It meets in separate sessions and carries out its functions independently of other regional committees having broader interests in the same subject-matter field. It is essential that funds be available for travel and expenses appurtenant to meetings of technical committees of the approved regional research projects, and for the conferences and work groups to facilitate regional cooperative effort by the participating state stations.
Related, Current and Previous Work
An allotment of Hatch MRF will be made at each participating station to pay the necessary expenses associated with directors serving as administrative advisers and participating members of technical committee, development committees, coordinating committees, integrated research and extension committees, conferences, and other types of multistate work groups authorized by the designated administrative advisers, for the purpose of conferring on, coordinating and furthering research on specific problems of concern to two or more States. Advisers and stations shall be guided by the policies at their own stations regarding travel and other expenses to be authorized. As a policy, the Chair of the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors will serve as chair of this project and may authorize special meetings as required. The Executive Director will serve as Administrative Advisor. A report on the purpose and accomplishment of such meetings shall be included in the annual progress report of the Coordination Project. The chair with the assistance of the Executive Director shall be responsible for assembling this report.
JUSTIFICATION:
Coordination of activities among participating states and between multistate research and integrated research and extension projects requires certain administrative services and support. For example, interstate travel of State Agricultural Experiment Station scientists and administrative advisers is essential for them to attend meetings of ad hoc technical committee, development committees, coordinating committees, integrated research and extension committees, conferences, and other types of multistate work groups. These activities and the associated expenses must be accounted for through some reporting mechanism. This project will facilitate the development and conduct of multistate research, and integrated research and extension activities, and permit the accounting of related expenditures. This project will facilitate better administration of the Hatch Multistate Research Fund and help to facilitate collaboration and cooperative activities on selected priority topics identified through a regional framework of planned activities.
COOPERATING STATIONS:
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Virgin Islands
Objectives
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To facilitate the planning and coordination of Multistate Research, Multistate Coordinating Committees, and Multistate Extension/Education and Research Activities.
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To simplify accounting and disbursement of travel funds and other expenses at each participating State Agricultural Experiment Station (SAES) for multistate planning and coordination.
Methods
Measurement of Progress and Results
Outputs
- Cooperative research studies and integrated research and extension activities targeted to specific agricultural problems of concern to two or more states facilitated.
- Progress of activities monitored and reported annually along with an accounting of related expenditures.
Outcomes or Projected Impacts
- Improved efficiency in the planning and coordinated use of Multi-state Research Funds.
- Better collaboration among states and our partners.
Milestones
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationOutreach Plan
Organization/Governance
Directors of the Southern Association of State Agricultural Experiment Stations will constitute the technical committee. The Chair of the Association will serve as chairman of the Technical Committee. The Executive Director of the Association will serve as Administrative Advisor of the technical committee.
Literature Cited