The Agricultural Research Service

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The Agricultural Research Service

• Steven R. Shafer
• Deputy Administrator
• Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural
  Systems

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1862-2008 146 years of practical and scientific
experiments by USDA
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Mission Areas Within USDA
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Research, Education, and Economics
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ARS Profile

• In-house scientific research arm of USDA
• Farm-to-table research scope
• Information and technology transfer
• 22 National Programs
• 1,100 projects

• 2,200 scientists
• 9,000 employees
• 100 laboratories
• 1.1 billion annual budget (FY08)
• International collaboration
• Partnerships with universities and industry

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Mission of ARS

• To conduct research to
• Ensure high quality, safe food and other
  products
• Assess the nutritional needs of Americans
• Sustain a competitive agricultural economy
• Enhance the natural resource base and the
  environment and
• Provide economic opportunities to rural citizens
  and society as a whole.

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• How Do We Meet Our Mission?
• Through National Programs
• A National Program is a set of research projects
  directed toward common goals to solve
  agricultural problems of high National priority.
• National Programs are outcome driven, e.g., A
  safer food supply

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Role of National Program Staff

• Maintain relevance of research program through
• Priority setting
• Budget development
• Program analysis
• Reporting to Congress and stakeholders
• Program coordination

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ARS National Programs
Animal Production Protection
Nutrition, Food Safety Quality
Natural Resources Sustainable Agric. Sys.
Crop Production Protection
Under recruitment

• Plant, Microbial Insect Germplasm Conservation
  Development
• Plant Biological Molecular Processes
• Plant Diseases
• Crop Protection Quarantine
• Crop Production
• Methyl Bromide Alternatives

• Water Availability and Watershed Management
• Global Change, Soil and Emissions
• Bioenergy and Bioproducts
• Agricultural Waste and Byproduct Utilization
• Pasture, Forage and Range Land Systems
• Agricultural System Competitiveness and
  Sustainability

• Food Animal Production
• Animal Health
• Arthropod Pests of Animals and Humans
• Aquaculture

• Human Nutrition
• Food Safety
• New Uses, Quality Marketability of Plant
  Animal Products

. . . . .
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Agriculture Natural Resources Mission

• To develop scientific knowledge and technology to
  ensure safe and affordable food, feed, fiber, and
  sustainable energy supplies, while enhancing the
  environment and quality of life for producers,
  rural communities, and the Nation.

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Benefits of National Programs

• Coordination
• Communication
• Empowerment

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ARS Locations
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ARS Partners In Research

• USDA
• Other Government Agencies
• State Universities
• International Organizations
• U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization
• World Bank
• Consultative Group of International Agricultural
  Research
• Tropical Ag Research Higher Ed Center
• U.S./Israel BARD

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How ARS Plans and Sets Research Priorities

• Stakeholder input
• Program planning cycle

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ARS Customers Stakeholders

• Action and Regulatory Agencies
• ProducersFarmers and Ranchers
• Industry
• Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)
• State and Local Governments
• Consumers

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President, Secretary Congress
Customers
ARS Priorities
Other Agencies
Scientific Community
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ARS Scientific Peer Review Process

• Verify scientific merit and programmatic
  relevance.
• At least once every 5 years majority of
  reviewers external scientists.

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Office of Scientific Quality Review (OSQR) is
Responsible For

• Panel organization composition
• Distribution of project plans
• Reviewer instruction and orientation
• The distribution of results in ARS
• Notifies panelists of the Agency response to
  recommendations
• Ad hoc or re-reviews of project plans

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Information Dissemination and Technology Transfer

• Scientific Publications
• Office of Technology Transfer
• National Agricultural Library
• Information Staff

www.ars.usda.gov
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Goals of Technology Transfer

• Public mission a problem solving agency
• Transfer of technology is the primary objective
  --- not income
• Protect intellectual property only if it enhances
  technology transfer
• Facilitate development of cooperative research
  agreements

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Cooperative Research and Development Agreements

• ARS Office of Technology Transfer
• Additional operating funds for ARS
• Projects reviewed for benefits to public

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ARS Program Structure
Scientist
Each person supports the research program of
the scientist
Lead Scientist
Research Leader
Center, Institute, Laboratory Director
National Program Leaders
Area Directors
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Leading America towards a better future through
agricultural research and information.