Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Thursday, November 3, 2005 Opening Remarks: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am by Chair Wailes, University of Arkansas, at Fayetteville. After the opening remarks were completed, Chair Wailes asked the members to introduce themselves and the institutions with which they are affiliated. Chair Wailes asked Albert J. Allen, Mississippi State University to distribute the minutes of the S-1016 Spring Business Meeting held in New Orleans on June 1, 2005. Upon the distribution of the minutes to the S-1016 by Allen, Chair asked the committee members to review the minutes. After the minutes were reviewed by the committee members, they were approved with the necessary changes. In addition, Chair Wailes distributed a copy of the agenda and asked members of the committee for any changes to the agenda. Although members of the committee did not make any changes to the agenda, Chair Wailes announced that he would appoint a nominating committee for S-1016 officers. The officers to be elected by the committee at the Spring Business Meeting will include a Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Research member, and extension member of the executive committee. Chair Wailes told the committee members that Dr. Parr Rosson, III, Texas A&M University, College Station would not be able to attend the meeting of the committee due to an assignment in Iraq. Chair Wailes asked Mr. Adcock, representing Dr. Rosson, to provide a review of the conference titled World Trade Organization Impacts on U.S. Farm Policy held June 1-3, 2005, in New Orleans, Louisiana and sponsored by the S-1016 Committee. To complement the review of the conference, Mr. Adcock distributed a copy of the state report for Texas A & M which included a summary of the conference. Mr. Adcock said that 82 individuals from 22 states and eight (8) countries attended the conference and that the attendees at this conference represented some of the most influential individuals in the international agricultural trade arena. He also said that 18 selected papers were presented at the conference during five concurrent sessions. In summary he said that 90% of the papers and presentations at the meeting are up and ready to be accessed by individuals who may find them useful. Dr. Hudson also said that he was very impressed with the conference and that everyone to whom he talked was very pleased. FAMPS Meeting: The FAMPS meeting was discussed by Dr. Darren Hudson, Mississippi State University. Dr. Hudson discussed among other items on the agenda, the registration procedures for S-1016 members for the conference and for the Spring Business Meeting for the group. The S-1016 Spring Business Meeting will immediately follow the conclusion of the FAMPS Conference. Dr. Hudson encouraged S-1016 committee members to submit proposals for the presentation of papers at the conference which will be held in Washington, D.C. By having S-1016 committee members as paper presenters at the meeting, Dr. Hudson felt that the exposure the members would get at the conference would not only benefit the individual making the presentation but would also benefit the multi-state research group as a whole. Dr. Hudson said that more detailed information on the conference would be forthcoming and the conference is scheduled for March 21-22, 2006 in Washington, DC. Also, Dr. Stanley Fletcher, University of Georgia, Griffin, felt that the conference would be of value to the committee especially since the conference would be held in Washington D.C. Upon the completion of the discussion of the FAMPS meeting by Dr. Hudson, Chair Wailes told the committee members that the registration fee for the Fall Business Meeting would be $100.00. Remarks by the Administrative Advisor: After discussions of the FAMPS conference were completed, Chair Wailes asked Dr. Tom Klindt, Administrative Advisor, University of Tennessee, at Knoxville, to make a few remarks to the group. Dr. Klindt told the group that a new proposal writing would likely start in the next year. Also, Dr. Klindt told the group, on a more personal note that if anyone is interested an administrative position, please send him a note. Further Dr. Klindt apologized to the S-1016 multi-state research group for being absent at the previous business meeting held by the organization. Dr. Klindt told the committee that there are discussions going on about the possibility of doing away with Hatch Funds. Therefore, this group and others around the country should pay very close attention to these discussions as they may adversely impact groups like the S-1016 if this decision comes to fruition. Dr. Klindt said the Administration feel that we are not worthy of appropriated funds. He said that the Land-Grant University Research/Outreach have not done a good job of promoting themselves about the value of research that we do. Dr. Klindt further told the group that we need to quit talking about the process but start talking about outcomes. Dr. Klindt also reminded the group that when you go to Washington to visit, it is the appropriated funds that pay all or part of our salaries and travels. Dr. Klindt stated that the committee is doing well on the project and told members of the group to keep the productivity work up. Dr. Larry Sanders, Oklahoma State University, mentioned to the group that proactive activities need to be formulated to re-educate the public decision makers about the high-quality research and extension activities we are doing as a group. Dr. Sanders felt that this would be one of the ways that the group may be able influence the decision making process regarding the funding of Hatch and Smith-Lever funds. In summary Dr. Klindt told the group to quit talking about processes but outcomes. He also encouraged each committee member to start talking about outcomes rather than the processes. This thought process, if done well, should have positive impacts on the Hatch funding outcome and related funding sources. State Reports: The meeting proceeded with a presentation of research activities being pursued at each university member station. Friday, November 4, 2005 Reconvening of the S-1016 meeting and FAMPS/S-1016 Meeting The meeting reconvened at 9:00 AM by Chair Wailes. The Friday morning session of the S-1016 technical committee meeting began with Dr. Hudson discussing the scheduling of the FAMPS meeting in D.C. in conjunction with the S-1016 meeting. Dr. Hudson said that he would contact the hotel for room accommodations and the registration fee for the FAMPS conference would be $125.00. Mr. Bob Young of the American Farm Bureau would be contacted by Dr. Hudson. In addition to the hotel arrangements and other amenities, Drs. Hudson, Fletcher, and Wailes talked about the scheduling of the S-1016 technical committee meeting at the FAMPS conference. Chair Wailes said that he will contact the American Farm Bureau for a possible meeting with the organization while the S-1016 members are in Washington D.C. Conference 07 Dr. Fletcher talked about setting up a conference in 2007. He said that in August an announcement of the conference could be made in that month and that a March planning of the 2007 conference could be done at the March S-1016 technical committee meeting. The committee would begin planning for a 2007 conference to be held in that year. Dr. Hudson said that the targeted groups for the Conference 07 would include farmers, commodity groups, and other stakeholders including media. In addition members of the S-1016 technical committee discussed in detail the purpose or the focus of the conference that would be held in the summer of 2007. Dr. Kennedy said that the conference could be focused on the effects of the Farm Bill 07 on the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural commodities. The S-1016 committee agreed to form an organizing committee for the Spring Business Meeting for the conference. As a member of the committee, Dr. Hudson would handle the paper selection process and announcements for the Conference of 2007. Also, Dr. Kennedy would handle the logistics management process for the conference. Furthermore Drs. Rosson, III, Hudson, Kennedy, and Fletcher who will serve on the organizing committee for the conference, would have a report for the S-1016 group at the Spring Business Meeting. Commodity Briefs Chair Wailes said the outlining of the issues for the Commodity Briefs papers would be begin in the fall or winter of 2006. The S-1016 technical committee agreed to develop commodity briefs outlining the issues affecting the various commodities in the Southern Region. Dr. Sanders said that the Extension Trade Task Force would be meeting in June 2006 and that he would be glad to coordinate the extension/S-1016 meeting to have issues laid out. Dr. Sanders also told the group that the purpose of the conference would be the Farm Bill 2007 and its relationship and the impact of agricultural trade and the Farm Bill 2007. The agenda of S-1016 Spring Business Meeting of 2006 would include as a new business item the discussing of the authorship of the commodity briefs. Nominating Committee for Officers The S-1016 technical committee, as requested by Chair Wailes, formed a nominating committee that consisted Drs. Jolly, Kennedy, Hudson, and Wailes. The nominating committee would report to the S-1016 technical committee at its Spring Business Meeting the names of individuals they feel could lead the group in the future. Coordinating Committee on Policy Briefs In addition to the commodity briefs, the S-1016 technical committee formed a coordinating committee on policy briefs. This committee consists of Drs. Wailes, Fletcher, Sanders, Yeboah, and Rosson, III. New Project Proposal In addition to forming the aforementioned committees, the S-1016 technical committee discussed the proposal for the next project. The group said that the new project proposal could focus on domestic and policy productivity. The group said that a writing committee needed to be formed. Also a development committee would be formed in November or December 2007. The development committee should be formed 18 months prior to request for a new project. The development committee should be formed no later than the fall of 2006. Further the S-1016 technical committee agreed to form a writing committee for the new project proposal at the fall 2006 Business Meeting. After several comments and suggestions were made by Drs. Koo and Wailes that focused on issues such as the FTAA and FDI, Chair Wailes thanked the members for job well done. Chair Wailes adjourned the meeting at 9:45 AM. E-Signature: Eric J. Wailes 2/14/2006 ______________________________________________________________________ Chair, Dr. Eric Wailes Date ______________________________________________________________________ Administrative Advisor, Dr. Tom Klindt Date