Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Bob Harmon called the meeting to order. Introductions were made and the general purpose and agenda of the meeting were outlined. Kenny Webb moved that the minutes of last years meeting be approved. Paul Humes seconded. The motion passed. David Morrison gave an administrative update. He briefed the group on the new Excellence in Multi-State Research Award and indicated he would like to see a project from the Southeast Region be nominated. He also briefed the group about Knowledge Areas (KAs) associated with the Appendix E form for participants in Multi-State and Regional Projects. CRIS is moving to CIS (Current Information System). There is a desire to capture KAs for Extension contributions as well as Research. Extension scientists will now be asked to declare KAs. USDA is working toward a One Solution type reporting system. Attempting to reduce and unify report numbers provided to USDA. Peter Burfening further detailed and explained One Solution. The purpose is to allow better accountability for Extension. Implementation date for this reporting is expected relatively soon. He emphasized that accurate and careful CRIS reporting is extremely important. Foe example, the Government Accounting Office (GAO), which analyzes data as requested by Congress, has been looking at funding and scientist years expended in classical breeding and genetics. The GAO has used CRIS numbers to assemble that report. CRIS is being used for things that it was not intended for and is becoming more important. It is becoming more outward facing. Peter also alerted the group that the current Farm Bill apparently does away with the the current Plans of Work. Burfening described briefly what he knew about the just released USDA budget. It probably will not be signed until early 2009. Special grants came back in the new budget at about a 25% decrease from previous funding levels. Morrison continued with an update of the Farm Bill. House and Senate versions differ. IFAS remains in the House version but is reduced in the Senate. Some positive attributes in the new Farm Bill, such as IFAS and NIR. David also informed the group that Impact Statements are required for S projects the third year and final year of the project. Project Reports S-501: Improving Growth and Feed Efficiency in Warmwater Aquaculture The Aquaculture Advising Committee has disbanded after completing its objectives. This was an example of a rapid response/quick reaction/emergency issue type project. Two year life span. S-502: Regional Animal Health Situational Awareness Project This is a collaborative project between the University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee Colleges of Vet Medicine addressing animal health monitoring systems. Project has nationwide application and human health implications. Monitors prevalence of disease, maps spread, plots outbreaks and measures impact. Very exciting project. Investigators want to take this past just information received from diagnostic labs and include information and reports from practicing vets. Approved from August 2007 - 2009. Not sure if it will be expanded to a full project. S-1012: Nutritional Systems for Swine to Increase Reproductive Efficiency This project on swine nutrition continues to be active and productive. Good example of multi-institutional cooperation across research and extension missions. Has a good publication record. Current project is set to expire in 2008. New project has been drafted and is currently under consideration by the participating institutions. Recommended project be continued. S-1013: Genetic (Co)Variance of Parasite Resistance, Temperament, and Production Traits of Traditional and Non-Bos indicus Tropically Adapted Breeds This is a classical animal breeding project. It has enjoyed good participation from scientists from several institutions. Participants have been very engaged, they put together comprehensive reports, overall do a good job. Project scheduled to end in 2009. Currently putting together a new submission. This is a critical area. Classical geneticists are becoming fewer and many are approaching retirement. Group has received two NRI grants in recent years. Very productive with very few resources. Looking at tropical breeds. Banking DNA. Project was recommended and approved for continuance. S-1020: Enhancing Reproductive Efficiency of Poultry (S-285) This project deals with reproductive efficiency in poultry. Recommended and approved for continuance. S-1022: Basic and Applied Aspects of Bacterial Source Tracking (S297) Currently this project is without a monitor. Don Conner was temporarily assigned to check on its status. S-1023: Enhancing Production and Reproductive Performance of Heat-Stressed Dairy Cattle The focus of this project is heat stress and dairy cattle. Some disappointment in participation - only 5 or 6 (out of 20) attended most recent project meeting. Met twice in 2007. Collaboration does not appear to be as good as it should be or could be. Group is a little frustrated and discouraged. S-1023 group decided to continue to meet with related W-1173 group. Consensus was to recommend that if S-1023 participation does not approve that it should be combined with W-1173. S-1025: Systems for Controlling Air Pollutant Emissions and Indoor Environments of Poultry, Swine, and Dairy Facilities This project is examining air pollutants/emissions. It was approved in 2006 and will expire in 2011. Group consists of a strong core of research and extension personnel. Annual meetings have been well attended. Group will meet with S-1032 in May. Recommended continuance. S-1027: The Poultry Food System: A Farm to Table Model Very active group, usually meets three times a year. Conducted a symposium at the Poultry Science Association annual meeting. Very prolific, 60 refereed publications, leveraged funding, adding new members. Nineteen participants attending the most recent meeting at Clemson. S-1030: Flies Impacting Livestock, Poultry and Food Safety Group was not sure of termination date - possibly 2009. Questioned whether it was in need of renewal. Recommended continuation. S-1031: Improvement and Sustainability of Channel-Blue Hybrid Catfish Embryo Production and Performance David Morrison was authorized to seek out aquaculture experts to make decisions on aquaculture projects. S-1032: Improving the Sustainability of Livestock and Poultry Production in the United States This project focuses on sustainability of livestock and poultry. Has a new title and new objective as of 2007. Consistently productive project, over 50 publications listed in last project report. Will meet with S-1025 - logical match. Productive relationships among animal scientists, poultry scientists, engineers, crop scientists, soil scientists. Recommended continuance. S-1035: Nutritional and Management Abatement Strategies for Improvement of Poultry Air and Water Quality This project has been working hard on being reinstated. Primary focus has been on reducing pollution that might impact ground water. This has included substantial efforts in litter and waste management in broiler and layer houses and nutrient reformulation to reduce waste. Other contributions include work with vegetative buffers, drinking water quality and water sanitizers. The participants met in January 2007 and will meet again in July 2008. S1037: Integrative Functional and Physiological Genomics of Poultry This is a new project. Continuance was recommended. SDC-330 Genetic Selection and Crossbreeding to Enhance Reproduction and Survival of Dairy Cattle (S-1008) Project is associated with classic genetics of dairy cattle. The project terminated in September 2007 and is currently being rewritten. Has been a productive project. Good integration. Working hard to get approval as a S project. Participant list has decreased by 5 or 6. SCC-72: Enhancing Reproductive Efficiency in Cattle This is a productive group. Very close knit, cooperative, much in common. Fewer participants in recent years. Met in February 2007 and submitted an informative report describing their progress. Recommended continuation. SCC-81: Sustainable Small Ruminant Production in the Southeastern U.S. This project focuses on small ruminants. Group met at Southern Section informally for a number of years. Were formally approved at last years meeting. Met in February 2008. Thirty-two in attendance. Published a very good compilation of activities. Project doing very well. Recommended continuation. SERA-9: Aquatic Food Animals from Warm Water Aquaculture David Morrison provided for informational purposes a brief update on this aquaculture project. Group meets annually. Very active. SERA-15: Competitiveness and Sustainability of the Southern Dairy Industry Southern Dairy Conference held in January 2008. Very good program. Large group -9 or so universities involved. Several economists attended. Mary Beck volunteered to take on responsibility of monitoring this group. Recommended continuance. SERA-36: Beef Cattle Production Utilizing Forages in the Southeast to Integrate Research and Extension Programs across State Boundaries Originally extension was not well represented but now extension is well integrated. Extension participants instrumental in getting project off the ground. Committee is working on extension outcomes. Has a one year approval contingent on getting extension outcomes fleshed out. Group is recommending that beef reports be merged. Group is active, good leadership, effective leadership succession plan. Have good outcomes established, hopefully just need to communicate those better to get full approval. Good group. David Morrison will send an email indicating department heads support. The group elected new officers. Mike Lacy was elected chair. Alan Mathew was elected secretary. Bob Harmon expressed appreciation to everyone for their contributions, and the group thanked Bob for the outstanding job he has done chairing the group. Meeting was adjourned.