Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Members introduced themselves. New members, Larry Madden, the interim head at Ohio State, and Peter Goldsbrough, the new head at Purdue, were welcomed to the group. Anne Vidaver represented Jim Steadman, the new head at Nebraska, who was unable to attend because of another meeting. The agenda was reviewed. Goldsbrough moved and Hoeft seconded motion to approve agenda. Motion carried. Minutes from the 2006 meeting were reviewed. Clayton moved and Hoeft seconded acceptance of minutes. Motion carried. A subcommittee comprised of Rasmussen, Hoeft, and English was formed to select a site for the 2008 meeting. A subcommittee comprised of Clayton, Baum, and Goldsbrough was formed to select a secretary for the 2008 meeting. This person would then serve as committee chair in 2009. Administrative Adviser Slack asked that reports from the NCAC 14 committee be submitted by the end of February as to be available to the NC Directors Multistate Committee at their meeting in March. Slack also led a discussion on federal funding agricultural research, the presidents proposed budget, and the impending farm bill. The discussion, punctuated by questions and answers, was centered around CREATE 21 and the legislative mood in Washington, D.C. Some key points of the discussion were: 1. Congress has rejected the presidents most recent budget proposals for changes in federal base funding of agricultural research. 2. A group appointed last spring with representation of CSREES and Experiment Stations to discuss the topic of federal funding and possible competitive grant programs for agricultural research. Enhanced communication on how programs operate at both the state and federal level was one outcome. 3. The NSF and NIH each have a single voice speaking to congress for their respective budgets. By comparison, agriculture has multiple voices. This sometimes results in a message that appears to lack focus. CREATE 21 may provide for a single voice for agricultural interests. 4. CREATE 21 currently is being put into legislative language and may become part of the new Farm Bill. If CREATE 21 goes through it is hoped that effective communication of priorities and impacts will lead to enhanced investment in programs. 5. Two factors are pushing CREATE 21. First, there is a need for new money for agricultural research. Budgets have been flat for two decades. Second, the current model for how the system operates has been questioned which CREATE 21 addresses. 6. There is constant pressure to do things differently. There is a sense that the manner in how we do business will change in the future. There are two key questions. First, what will this change look like in the end? Second, do we want to be dictated to or would we prefer to help direct the change? 7. National interest in alternative energy suggests new opportunities including more interaction of agricultural faculty with agencies such as the Department of Energy, with engineering departments and interests, and so forth. Kitty Cardwell, USDA/CSREES National Program Leader for Plant Pathology, informed the group that Marty Draper, formerly of South Dakota State University, has joined CSREES, also as a National Program Leader for Plant Pathology. She then discussed federal funding for CREES. The next federal budget may have significant implications for special research grants, which account for approximately 15% of the CSREES budget. Potential changes in federal crop insurance may come to link good farming practices to crop insurance for producers in the near future. If this happens, CREES may expand their activities in information exchange models and platforms. The Soybean Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (Soybean PIPE) is one example of this kind of platform. Chairs, heads, and Experiment Station directors need to think about how this may affect their units. At the same time, the PIPE systems need to find a way to become self-supporting, perhaps through end-user fees, in the next decade or so. Kitty Cardwell and Ray Hammerschmidt announced that the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) was approaching its five year anniversary and that diagnosticians from around the country would be attending the NPDN annual meeting later this winter in Orlando, Florida. Hammerschmidt indicated that the NPDN and the associated meeting grew from the fact that many diagnosticians are unable to attend annual APS meetings. Cardwell said that the NPDN is moving toward adoption of International Standard Operation (ISO) procedures. This may affect laboratory accreditation for detection or diagnosis of specific diseases. There was consensus among the committee that the NPDN is very useful that has elevated the status and capabilities of diagnostic clinics in the North Central region. Additional discussion by the committee revealed that most departments in the NC region have a diagnostic course available to graduate students. Cardwell updated the committee on the Plant Biosecurity Grant Program. This program entertains proposals that focus on detection, diagnosis, mitigation, and control of and recovery from bioterrorism events. She also gave an update on the National Research Initiative, including activities in genomics. After a break for lunch, Hammerschmidt called the afternoon session to order at 1:32 p.m. The subcommittee of Clayton, Baum, and Goldsbrough nominated Robert Hoeft to become committee secretary in 2008, then committee chair in 2009. Anne Vidaver moved and Thomas Baum seconded the motion that this recommendation be enacted. The motion carried, but one abstention (Hoeft) was duly noted. The group then reviewed regional projects (SEE ATTACHMENT UNDER MINUTES FOR REGIONAL PROJECTS). Before breaking for dinner, the committee had an informal and impromptu discussion about the future education of plant pathology graduate students. The underlying question that seemed to drive the discussion was, Is the broadly-trained plant pathologist a dying breed? Among other points, it was noted that 1) industry, government, and extension in particular are have trouble finding broadly-trained plant pathologists, and 2) graduate-level courses that have a laboratory component seem to be disappearing. The group then proceeded to individual state reports. Some highlights, mostly pertaining to personnel changes, are outlined below: Goldsbrough reported that Dr. Huber retired from Purdue last year. His fine institution will host the North Central APS meetings in 2008. English reported three new hires in his unit at Missouri, but none is a pathologist. Missouri will be searching for a new Division Leader. Baum reported two new hires at Iowa State (Drs. Gary Munkvold and Leonor Leandro). Rasmussen reported that NDSU is searching for three new faculty members. One will replace Dr. Stack who retired in 2006. Another will replace Carl Bradley who left NDSU for a position at Illinois. Hoeft confirmed the hire of Carl Bradley. Hoeft also hired a bacteriologist, but apparently he did not have to raid another North Central faculty to do so! Illinois also filled faculty positions not related to plant pathology. Dr. White retired and another individual announced his intentions to do so. Hammerschmidt stated the need for everybody associated with NCAC 14 needs to purchase at least one new car from either GM, Ford, or Chrysler within the next year. Clayton reported that Wisconsin lost one faculty member, but they hope to replace that individual soon. They also were searching for an extension pathologist. Madden reported that Ohio State hopes to hire a permanent head within the year. Ohio State lost Drs. Curtis, Rowe, and Gingery to retirement, Drs. Kamoun and Lindbo to other opportunities, and the national championship in football to Florida. Dr. Pierce Paul is a new faculty hire. Vidaver reported that Jim Steadman is the department head. Nebraska lost a USDA virologist, but hope to get the position refilled soon. Ray Martyn, former Head at Purdue and current President of APS, joined the meeting mid-morning. He reported that there will be several noticeable changes at the APS meetings this year. Included in these changes will be how alumni socials are run. He also gave an update on the Centennial meetings for APS scheduled for 2008 in St. Paul, MN. Rasmussen reported that the site selection committee had identified Dallas, TX, as the site for the next meeting. The meeting will be held in conjunction with annual meetings of Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS) on February 2-3, 2008, with travel days on February 1 and 4. The meeting will be held at the Adam Mark Hotel and the adjoining convention center in downtown Dallas. Rasmussen noted SAAS has a website for the meetings (http://www.saasinc.org/2008-Dallas/Dallas2008-Main-pg.asp) and that it currently is possible to secure hotel bookings. Plant pathology chairs and heads from other regions will be invited to discuss issues related to the future of our discipline. The committee broke for lunch, then reconvened in the afternoon for a tour of the Sandia National Laboratories previously organized by Hammerschmidt.

We reviewed regional research projects assigned to individual committee members, presented state reports, and discussed issues of mutual concern and interest. We toured the Sandia National Laboratory to gain an understanding of research and services provided by that facility.

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