SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NCAC4 : Horticultural Crops
- Period Covered: 02/01/2003 to 02/01/2004
- Date of Report: 05/24/2004
- Annual Meeting Dates: 04/19/2004 to 04/20/2004
Participants
Ed Ashworth, Purdue University; Thomas Bewick, USDA/CSREES; Dennis Decoteau, Pennsylvania State University; Anne Fennell, South Dakota State University; Jeff Iles, Iowa State University; Wesley Jarrell, University of Illinois; Alan Lakso, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva; Thomas Michaels, University of Minnesota; Stephen Myers, Ohio State University; Ronald Perry, Michigan State University; Marvin Pritts, Cornell University; John Russin, Southern Illinois University; Tom Warner, Kansas State University
A pre-meeting tour of the Cornell University campus, and visits to wineries along Seneca Lake was conducted on Sunday, April 18, 2004.
The NCA-4 meeting was hosted by the Department of Horticultural Sciences and held at Hedrick Hall at Cornell‘‘s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. The meeting commenced at 8:30 a.m. on April 19 and concluded at noon on April 20.
Bob Seem, Interim Director NYSAES, welcomed NCA-4 participants and provided a brief update on the state of the Experiment Station.
Iowa State University (Ames) was named host institution for the 2005 NCA-4 meeting, with Michigan State University and Purdue University as hosts in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Tom Bewick, National Program Leader - Horticulture, USDA/CSREES, reviewed projects funded in fiscal year 2003, information about the Integrated Organic Program, Plant Sciences Update, strategic plan for horticulture and the growing importance of urban horticulture, and provided details about a new bill for Specialty Crops (plants).
Each state representative gave a brief "state of the Department" presentation and submitted a written report, focusing mostly on budget trends, hiring (or lack thereof), and the general vitality of their academic unit.
"State of Teaching" reports focusing on trends in student numbers, popular and unpopular courses, and other issues pertinent to teaching also were given by each state representative. Many excellent ideas were shared and a few highlights are provided below:
¸ Michigan State University - 1-credit course modules that might also interest Extension/outreach clients.
¸ Purdue University - Study-abroad course ?"In the English Landscape" (4-weeks).
¸ Ohio State University - History of Golf Course Development & Design course
¸ Penn State University - Landscape Contracting/Landscape Maintenance/Arboriculture majors.
¸ Kansas State University - Landscape Irrigation Systems course.
¸ Cornell University - Art of Horticulture course.
Opportunities for regionalization of teaching and Extension programs, success stories, and barriers to success were discussed. On-line courses already are being taught by many institutions and could be shared across state boundaries. Considerable coordination would be required to package or "silo" content and then repackage it for broad use. In other words, there would be a "continuum of content" that each Department could access freely. Successful implementation will require support from each of our respective Deans.
A visit to the Enology Lab for a wine taste test and an excellent presentation on flavor analysis by Terry Acree (Food Science) completed the first day.
A discussion focusing on the "state of research" and in particular, how to fund applied research, was next on the agenda. As base funding (from state and federal sources) is decreased, it will become essential that funding is secured from outside funding agencies. Alternative sources of funding included USDA grants, industry grants, endowments, and royalties.
Conversation briefly returned to the 2005 NCA-4 meeting to be held at Iowa State University. Suggested dates are May 1-3, 2005 (Sunday - Tuesday). It also was suggested the official meeting encompass two full days rather than the 1 1/2 day event that has been our tradition. It also was recommended that state reports come last on the agenda.
Bob Seem helped close the meeting by leading a discussion centering on the merits of corporate relationships. The Kansas State/Toro model was held up as an example of an excellent and mutually beneficial relationship between industry and university.
The meeting adjourned at noon, April 20, 2004.
The NCA-4 meeting was hosted by the Department of Horticultural Sciences and held at Hedrick Hall at Cornell‘‘s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. The meeting commenced at 8:30 a.m. on April 19 and concluded at noon on April 20.
Bob Seem, Interim Director NYSAES, welcomed NCA-4 participants and provided a brief update on the state of the Experiment Station.
Iowa State University (Ames) was named host institution for the 2005 NCA-4 meeting, with Michigan State University and Purdue University as hosts in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Tom Bewick, National Program Leader - Horticulture, USDA/CSREES, reviewed projects funded in fiscal year 2003, information about the Integrated Organic Program, Plant Sciences Update, strategic plan for horticulture and the growing importance of urban horticulture, and provided details about a new bill for Specialty Crops (plants).
Each state representative gave a brief "state of the Department" presentation and submitted a written report, focusing mostly on budget trends, hiring (or lack thereof), and the general vitality of their academic unit.
"State of Teaching" reports focusing on trends in student numbers, popular and unpopular courses, and other issues pertinent to teaching also were given by each state representative. Many excellent ideas were shared and a few highlights are provided below:
¸ Michigan State University - 1-credit course modules that might also interest Extension/outreach clients.
¸ Purdue University - Study-abroad course ?"In the English Landscape" (4-weeks).
¸ Ohio State University - History of Golf Course Development & Design course
¸ Penn State University - Landscape Contracting/Landscape Maintenance/Arboriculture majors.
¸ Kansas State University - Landscape Irrigation Systems course.
¸ Cornell University - Art of Horticulture course.
Opportunities for regionalization of teaching and Extension programs, success stories, and barriers to success were discussed. On-line courses already are being taught by many institutions and could be shared across state boundaries. Considerable coordination would be required to package or "silo" content and then repackage it for broad use. In other words, there would be a "continuum of content" that each Department could access freely. Successful implementation will require support from each of our respective Deans.
A visit to the Enology Lab for a wine taste test and an excellent presentation on flavor analysis by Terry Acree (Food Science) completed the first day.
A discussion focusing on the "state of research" and in particular, how to fund applied research, was next on the agenda. As base funding (from state and federal sources) is decreased, it will become essential that funding is secured from outside funding agencies. Alternative sources of funding included USDA grants, industry grants, endowments, and royalties.
Conversation briefly returned to the 2005 NCA-4 meeting to be held at Iowa State University. Suggested dates are May 1-3, 2005 (Sunday - Tuesday). It also was suggested the official meeting encompass two full days rather than the 1 1/2 day event that has been our tradition. It also was recommended that state reports come last on the agenda.
Bob Seem helped close the meeting by leading a discussion centering on the merits of corporate relationships. The Kansas State/Toro model was held up as an example of an excellent and mutually beneficial relationship between industry and university.
The meeting adjourned at noon, April 20, 2004.
Accomplishments
Reviewed five NCR projects for midterm reviews.