Minutes of NE-165 Meeting
Private Strategies, Public Policies, and Food System Performance

Minutes of NE-165 Meeting

Opening Session of Full Committee Meeting

Chairperson Julie Caswell (UMass) opened the meeting at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 8th (see attached meeting agenda and list of those attending). After introductions, Julie reviewed the meeting objectives.

Discussions on Upcoming Conference Themes

The first session was an update and discussion of upcoming conferences. Jim MacDonald (USDA/ERS) briefed the group on progress related to Consolidation in the Meat Sector, the February 1999 conference planned by the strategy group. The conference dates have been changed to Thursday, February 25th and Friday, February 26th, rather than February 24th and 25th, due to hotel availability. Conference location will be the Hotel Washington in Washington, DC. GIPSA, ERS and the Food Marketing Policy Center will co-sponsor the conference. Publicity for the conference (aside from the call for papers already widely distributed) will be done through mailings to departments, NE-165 members and the AAEA newsletter. The question was raised as to whether the Livestock Marketing Information Center had been informed of the conference since they are likely part of the targeted audience. Jim will send them an announcement. Regarding the review process for paper selection, Jim has contacted some reviewers and will take care of organizing the review. Tanya Roberts (USDA/ERS) inquired if the conference committee has plans to publish the proceedings. The conference committee's view of the conference is as a discussion of research methods, and there are no current plans to publish papers from the conference. Ideas regarding publication were mentioned, including AgEcon Search and/or website publication as proceedings. Ron Cotterill (University of Connecticut and new editor of Agribusiness) mentioned the possibility of selecting a group of papers for publication in Agribusiness.

Bill Lesser (Cornell) then updated the group on planning for the Transitions in Agbiotech: Economics of Strategy and Policy conference to be held at the Sheraton City Center, Washington, DC on June 24-25, 1999. Potential sub-topics for the conference include institutional analysis, industrial organization effects, farm level production economics, corporate strategic analysis, universal technology transfer, and marketing research, as well as trade and development economic impacts. A parallel conference to be held in Rome on June 17-19, 1999 will likely have some overlap with this one, but with a focus on Europe and developing countries. Bill has arranged for the organizer of the Rome conference to present a summary at the NE-165 conference. The intended audience for this conference is broad with anticipation of generating ideas for future research in this relatively new topic area.

The general description of the conference was followed with presentations on potential paper areas for the conference by Bill Lesser, Robbin Schoemaker (USDA), Robin Douthitt (Wisconsin), Stan Fletcher (Georgia), and Julie Caswell. Bill Lesser provided a brief overview of issues related to institutional analysis and market research issues such as intellectual property rights, public and private sector roles, and demand for products with altered attributes. Robin Douthitt discussed potential topics from a public policy perspective with respect to consumers. Ideas included theoretical labeling studies, promoting more perfect information in the marketplace and who pays for that information, and political vs. risk-aversion actions of consumers regarding biotech products. Julie Caswell's discussion centered around genetically modified organisms (GMO) policy issues. Potential topics in this area include regulatory approval issues such as risk assessment, risk management, communication of risk to consumers via labeling, and impacts of policy decisions on these markets. Trade disputes are likely at the regulatory approval stage regarding policy differences across countries and speed of approval, as well as at the labeling stage regarding verification of GMO's and decisions about when a product must be labeled as such.

Stan Fletcher presented production economics issues related to biotech products. He pointed out that many see biotech as the savior for producers, but that long-run economic impacts haven't been studied. Biotech is more easily transferred across climates and geographical constraints than breakthroughs in seed breeding, which could significantly impact markets for those products. For example, if biotech is used to rid domestically produced peanuts of aflatoxin, potential long-run economic impacts could include wiping out the domestic market for peanuts because the technology is easily transferred to competing export countries who have lower cost structures. Stan pointed other issues such as licensing fees, pricing issues, and biotech impacts on cost structures via changing disease resistance and changing chemical applications. Randy Westgren mentioned that a DuPont Vice-President has volunteered to participate in the conference if it would be helpful to have industry representation on these issues. The group agreed that it would be helpful. Robbin Schoemaker then discussed the relationship of the private and public sectors with respect to biotech issues. Such issues include valuing the genetic base, financing the cost of holding base germ plasm in the public sector, understanding the base's role in developing technology, the role of public research in terms of information and rate of adoption, assessing who benefits from the technology, and the interaction between public and private research in this area.

Business Meeting

The day's final session was a business meeting. Julie called the meeting to order at 3:55 p.m. The first action taken was approval of minutes from the June meeting. It was moved and seconded that the minutes be accepted with no revisions. The motion passed unanimously.

Susan Welsh, our co-advisor from CSREES, reported on CSREES research activities (see report attached). Highlights include reauthorization of the Farm Bill (see pages 1 and 2 of report). Important themes throughout the bill are responsiveness to stakeholders; focus on the mission of assuring a healthy agriculture, environment, and citizenry; effective use of resources and efficient program design; and expansion of reach to under served audiences. A new competitive grants program, Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems, was authorized at $120 million, but was not approved in the final appropriations for this year. The Agricultural Appropriations Bill for 1999 does not include the Fund for Rural American or the new initiative. However, it is still possible that the new grants initiative could be funded for FY2000 because it is a mandatory account. Other highlights included a $22 million increase in NRI funds and an increase in formula funding. (See pages 4 and 5 of report for more details.) It is still possible, however, that the President could veto the bill due to lack of disaster relief. Page 6 of the report highlights the Food Safety report. A President's Council on Food Safety was established on August 25, 1998 and a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research has been proposed. There is some question as to whether the proposed Institute would be real or "virtual". Susan also pointed out that the first National Food Safety Research Conference will be held November 12-13, 1998 for the purpose of establishing research priorities. Contact information is provided in the report.

Dan Rossi (Rutgers), NE-165's Administrative Advisor, then responded with his assessment of recent events. The increase in formula funding in the agricultural appropriations bill was unexpected. He mentioned that key changes are that stakeholder involvement in priority setting, as well as 25% of formula funds spending on multi-state and multi-disciplinary work, must now be documented. These are substantial changes in the way business has been conducted in the past. Additionally, the Experiment Station Director must now submit a Plan of Work at the Federal Level to replace GPRA requirements. In response to the mixed budget news, CSREES and Experiment Stations are working together to find additional non-USDA funding sources. There is potential for major changes in Agriculture funding through other agencies' budgets. The Deans and Directors are advocating support for the "science of Agriculture" to increase visibility in obtaining research funding from other sources. Ron Cotterill mentioned that urban issues are important and questioned whether the USDA is still too producer oriented. Dan responded that some feel that it should be focused more on producer issues and that it is actually criticized for being too "broad".

Before moving on the current issues, Julie updated the group on output from previous work, including a recap of the June 1998 conference on the Economics of HACCP: New Studies of Costs and Benefits. There were approximately 125 participants at the conference. Conference output will be in the form of a book edited by Laurian Unnehver and published through Eagen Press. Additionally, the NE-165 website includes Decision Maker Summaries from the conference (see http://www.umass.edu/ne165/haccp1998/haccp_1998.html). These are also tied into AgEcon Search. The book from the Vertical Coordination conference edited by Richard Rogers (Massachusetts) and Jeff Royer (Nebraska) should be released by Ashgate Press in November. Copies will be available to NE-165 members at a reduced price. The NE-165 publication series for this year has included 2 working papers and several journal reprints. Also, the group's annual report is now posted on the NE-165 website.

Ron Cotterill updated the group on the change in editorship of Agribusiness: An International Journal and distributed Information for Contributors to the group. Ron has taken over as the editor and much of the editorial board is comprised of NE-165 members. The focus of the journal will be more academically oriented than previous issues. The journal will also have a new look. It will be similar in size and format to the AJAE. There will be 4 issues a year with potential for Forums and Special Issues as outlets for conference proceedings, commissioned papers, etc. Part of the new format will include a picture and brief professional vitae of authors.

Julie then turned the group's attention to fall elections for the Executive Committee. Randy Westgren and Randy Torgersen's 3-year terms are up. Julie proposed the same election format that has been employed before. Executive Committee members who are not up for re-election will run the nominations and elections via e-mail to be completed by early to mid-December. Renomination of members whose terms are expiring is possible. Our membership has grown to 109 members from 9 countries and multiple members from some institutions. Julie reminded us that each institution has only one vote in the final election, but any member may nominate or be nominated. The group agreed to proceed with the election in this manner with Tanya Roberts as the chair of the Election Committee.

Discussion moved to the topic of future meetings and planning through the end of the project in 2001. Julie drew the group's attention to the list of potential conference topics distributed as part of the agenda. In the Executive Committee meeting earlier in the day, there was also discussion of the likelihood that the NE-165 project will end at the completion of its current term in 2001. Possible ways of ending the project were discussed including having a "finale" conference as a capstone and/or a book in both of the project's areas to bring together the work done over the last 15 years. We also need to come to a decision as a group on whether to co-sponsor a conference with the International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC) in the year 2000. A major piece of work for the two subgroups tomorrow morning is to establish priorities for conferences to be held over the years through 2001.

Julie pointed out that the project currently ends in 2001 and that perhaps we should consider that the endpoint of NE-165 as we know it. Stan Fletcher voiced concern about ending the project in 2001 when it seems to be a crucial time in some of the research areas that NE-165 has offered expertise in. He added that it may be crucial to maintain that established identity. Julie said that while the group might not continue as NE-165, there may be regional projects formed from within this group at the endpoint based on evolving research interests. Dan Rossi added that it may be time to consider ending the project, though it is very productive. Administrators don't always understand the evolution of research and may see its continuation as supporting something that is "stagnant". Julie noted that these are issues for the group to discuss over the near future.

In the meantime, NE-165 and members of the group will be making decisions about whether and how to participate in Sections that are now authorized to form as part of the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA). Julie said that she doesn't see sections as a replacement for the project structure, primarily because they would not provide the same funding structure from our home institutions, but rather as a complement to those activities. For example, sections may provide an audience for research output.

The Food and Agricultural Marketing Consortium (FAMC) is working to form a section and many members of NE-165 may participate in it. Julie asked Richard Kilmer (Florida) from the FAMC to give an overview of his vision of that section. Richard heads the FAMC committee that is investigating the possibility of forming a section. Richard said the agencies that fund the Consortium have policy issues that they would like to continue to address through the FAMC and a section may be a means to do that because of some of the administrative services AAEA would provide to sections. When asked to describe the scope, Richard said he didn't see the scope changing from the current scope of the FAMC due to the interests of the agencies who provide funding. Ron inquired whether the agencies' concerns will be the only focus of the section and Richard said he feels that it should address the agencies' research concerns as long as they are providing funding. Concerns were voiced regarding the democratic process within the section and whether the umbrella of the FAMC section is large enough to cover NE-165 members. Julie suggested that adding the word policy to the section's description would be desirable from NE-165's point of view. Ron Cotterill added that he likes the idea of FAMC organizing as a section, but not if the research agenda is dictated by the agencies. There was general discussion of how AAEA sections may evolve over time and become controllers, in a sense, over programming at the meetings, as is the case in other groups that operate under a section format. The general consensus of the group was to ask FAMC to broaden its thinking on the section for the long-term and consider incorporating "policy" into the title. Julie will act as the group's liaison to FAMC's section committee and facilitate discussion on that point. Richard Kilmer will take the group's concerns to the FAMC.

The session ended with announcements. Randy Westgren announced a conference by the U.S. Swine Consortium. Larry Haller then announced that Grain Inspection and Packers and Stockyards Administration is hiring several positions. Julie adjourned the meeting at 5:15 p.m.

Strategy Group Session

The strategy group convened at 8:30 a.m. Ron Cotterill (Connecticut) led discussion. The first item of discussion centered on whether there was a need for a book and/or conference as a finale for the strategy group. The consensus was that there is a need for a book and that it would require a lot of resources from the group. The idea of a conference in addition to the book was deferred until later. Ron described the format of Agribusiness in detail to the strategy group. The focus will be on agribusiness coordination, applied demand analysis, applied industrial organization, and strategy with an international emphasis. The editorial board has a definite international composition. Two different groups have approached Ron regarding guest editorships for special issues. There is an agreement with one group (Kinnucan and Nichols) for an issue related to commodity advertising research. Ron is also talking with Bill Lesser and Vittorio Santaniello about doing a special issue from the biotech conferences next summer. Another component of the journal will include a forum section. It may be a point/counterpoint or debate type format or a small section of 3 to 4 papers on a method or public policy question. There is a concerted effort to differentiate the journal from the AJAE and the Review of Agricultural Economics. The morning session concluded with Jeff Perloff's presentation "Estimating Firms' Mixed Price and Advertising Strategies Using Generalized Maximum Entropy: Coke and Pepsi" by Golan, Karp, and Perloff.

The second half of the morning consisted of a round robin research discussion and planning session. Each researcher present gave a brief description of current and planned research. Given the topics discussed, there appears to be plenty of work within the group to support the Pricing Strategy Conference in 2000. Discussion then went back to the book idea as a "finale" or a transition to something new. There was strong support from the group for the book. Some discussion centered around whether an update of the Marion book and/or Connor book was more appropriate, with some support for both. The consensus was that we really need both as benchmarks. Following discussion centered on the idea of "updating" Marion's red book. There was discussion regarding development of an outline for the chapters and of the intended audience. On chapters, ideas were to have industry specific chapters, integrating chapters, methods chapters, a set of themes or some mixture of the above and relate these back to the work of the group. It was also suggested that we perhaps commission a chapter on how we look at measuring market power. It was also mentioned that we must consider the optimal size of the book and the intended audience. The group decided to set up a list serve to share ideas about the book with a possible meeting at the FAMC conference in January or Consolidation in the Meat Sector conference in February.

Food Safety Group Session

The food safety group convened at 8:30 a.m. Julie Caswell led the discussion. The meeting began with a discussion of methodology for valuing health risk reductions. Fred Kuchler (USDA/ERS) described on-going work on ERS on valuing loss of life from illnesses related to foodborne pathogens. Rich Williams (FDA) discussed a range of issues related to valuation and how it is used in benefit/cost analysis. Tanya Roberts raised questions for the group regarding why valuation methodology has not been standardized (e.g., across federal agencies) and noted that a wide range of agencies would benefit from a consensus-building conference on best methodology. The group decided that a conference on this topic, with a possible book output and a case book of examples is a high priority activity for NE-165 in the year 2000. The tentative title of the conference is Valuing Food Safety Improvements. The group also discussed the current efforts of the federal government in the area of valuation. In addition, Loren Lange (USDA/FSIS) described his agency's current efforts to develop performance standards for a wide range of product categories.

The group then turned to a discussion of research related to standards, certification, and labeling. Eileen van Ravenswaay (Michigan) discussed her work on ecolabels, Randy Westgren (Illinois) described a new poultry certification and labeling program being begun in Illinois, Neal Hooker (Texas A&M) presented findings from a recent study on ISO certification, and Julie Caswell discussed organic labeling programs. The group decided that while this area of research is very interesting and timely, it is not a priority for a full conference in the near future. Instead, interested members will work on forums in other settings such as the AAEA meetings and the international agricultural economics meetings. The group also agreed it is a priority to accept the IATRC's invitation to cooperate in sponsoring a conference on Consumer Protection, Food Safety, and Quality: Emerging Issues for Global Markets and International Trade in the year 2000. Julie Caswell will communicate our interest to IATRC and ask that 2-3 NE-165 members be appointed to the organizing committee. Finally, the group had a preliminary discussion of a possible finale conference in the year 2000 and expressed a strong interest in organizing such a conference and a synthesis/summary book.

Full Planning Session

The full group reconvened after lunch for a full planning session. Bill Lesser gave a summary of the strategy group's morning meeting. Plans for the Pricing Strategy Conference in 2000 are on track. He then briefed the full group on plans for a wrap-up of the project from the strategy side. The strategy group is strongly considering a book as a finale. The book would be an "update" of the 1985 Marion book directed to a general interest group of economists. The book would have substantial emphasis on vertical linkages and likely would contain more on input linkages than the 1985 book. Julie asked if we had considered a book only or a book/conference. Tanya Roberts suggested that the strategy group could have a conference on future research issues and perhaps tie it into the last quarter of the book. Bill said the strategy group's priority is the book.

Julie Caswell gave a summary of the food safety group's morning meeting. The highest priority for that group is a conference in March or September 2000 on Valuing Food Safety Improvements. The conference would emphasize both theory and empirics as an input to cost/benefit analysis. There is currently little agreement on methods of valuation. The food safety group agreed to co-sponsor the June 2000 IATRC consortium conference as long as 2 or 3 NE-165 members would participate on the organizing committee. The group decided to put a labeling conference on the back burner for now and perhaps do it as an AAEA session or in a finale conference. In the international arena, the International Agricultural Economics meeting in Berlin in 2000 and the Society of Risk Analysis's conference are potential places for NE-165 participation. The food safety group reported that they did not discuss whether to become an AAEA section. (Postscript: Tanya Roberts and Ron Meekhof (USDA/ORACBA) will lead an effort to form a food safety section.)

Julie reminded us that the next planned gathering is at the Consolidation in the Meat Sector conference in February. There will not be a business meeting at the February conference. There will be business meeting at the June biotech conference. The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Kellie Raper
Secretary, NE-165

  

 Meeting Participants

Business Meeting Agenda

Thursday, October 8
9:30-11:30AM		Executive Committee Meeting
1:00-1:15PM		Opening Session of Full Committee Meeting Introduction of New Participants Meeting Objectives
1:15-3:00PM		Discussions on Upcoming Conference Themes Update/Discussion on Consolidation in the Meat Sector Conference (February 1999) Jim MacDonald, Discussion Leader Background, Discussion, and Preparation for Transitions in Agbiotech: Economics of Strategy and Policy Conference (June 1999) Bill Lesser, Discussion Leader. Presentations by Bill Lesser, Robbin Schoemaker, Robin Douthitt, Stan Fletcher, and Julie Caswell. Discussion of conference content and potential papers.
3:00-3:30PM		Break
3:30-5:00PM		NE-165 Business Meeting: Reports and Discussion Approval of Minutes of Last Meeting Comments from Administrative Advisor and CSREES Representative Recap of June 1998 HACCP Conference NE-165 Website and Publication Series Plans for Executive Committee Election (See Attached Sheet) Advance Planning for Future Meetings (See Attached Sheet) AAEA Sections: What Do They Mean for NE-165?
Friday, October 9
CONCURRENT MORNING SESSIONS
8:30AM-12:00PM		Strategy Group Meets to Plan Joint Research and Formulate Future Conferences and Other Output Activities Ron Cotterill, Discussion Leader Planning for Output Activities: AAEA sessions and conference on Pricing Strategy Studies in the Food System in 2000. Update on Agribusiness: An International Journal. The Price and Advertising Strategies of Coke and Pepsi Presentation by Jeff Perloff. Discussion. Research Round Robin and Planning Session (Break refreshments will be served from 10:00-10:30 in Room 3091A.)
8:30AM-12:00PM		Food Safety Group Meets to Plan Joint Research and Formulate Future Conferences and Other Output Activities Julie Caswell, Discussion Leader Valuation Methodologies for Health Risk Reductions Brief presentations by Fred Kuchler (value of life estimates) and Rich Williams (FDA/EPA project on benefit/cost analysis). Discussion of conference ideas. Update on Risk Assessment and Other Food Safety Activities of the U.S. Government Tanya Roberts Roundtable on Research Related to Standards, Certification, and Labeling Brief description of research by Eileen van Ravenswaay (Ecolabeling), Randy Westgren (Label Rouge for Poultry Processing), Neal Hooker (ISO Use in the U.S.), and Julie Caswell (Labeling and Trade).Discussion of conference ideas. (Break refreshments will be served from 10:00-10:30 in Room 3091A.)
12:00-1:15PM		Lunch on Your Own
1:15-3:00PM		Full NE-165 Group Planning Julie Caswell and Ron Cotterill, Discussion Leaders
3:00PM		Meeting Adjourned

Chairperson: Julie Caswell, University of Massachusetts (1996-99)

Executive Director: Ronald Cotterill, University of Connecticut

Executive Committee: Randy Torgerson, Cooperative Services, USDA (1994-98)
Randy Westgren, University of Illinois (1994-98)
Tanya Roberts, Economic Research Service, USDA (1996-99)
John Connor, Purdue University (1997-99)
Helen Jensen, Iowa State University (1997-2000)
James MacDonald, ERS, USDA (1997-2000)

Secretary: Kellie Raper, Michigan State University (1996-99)

Administrative Advisor: Daniel Rossi, Rutgers University

CSREES Advisors: Melvin Mathias, Susan Welsh and Donald West

 In Fall 1998, we will elect two Project Members to three-year terms (1998-2001) on the Executive Committee. Executive Committee Members whose terms are expiring may be nominated again.

PRICING STRATEGY STUDIES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM

Organizing Co-Chairs: Ron Cotterill, John Connor, James MacDonald, and Everett Peterson

Quantitative approaches to analyzing pricing strategies in the food industry using micro-level data and discussion of policy implications.

FOOD SAFETY, LIABILITY, AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Organizing Co-Chairs: Spencer Henson, Jean Buzby, Tanya Roberts, Julie Caswell

Comparative conference with focus on food safety systems, economic incentives (such as product liability and product differentiation), and public and private mechanisms to facilitate food safety in international trade. (Possible European location (e.g., FAO in Rome, Reading))

ECONOMICS OF FOOD STANDARDS, CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS, AND LABELING
(or ECONOMICS OF QUALITY VERIFICATION AND SIGNALING??)

Organizing Chairs: Julie Caswell and others (Eileen van Ravenswaay, Cathy Wessells, Steve Crutchfield, Katherine Ralston?)

Idea originally proposed for June 1999 but set aside as agbiotech conference developed more fully. Might include papers related to standard setting and enforcement by public and private certification entities, the market and consumer impacts of labeling, market structure and competitiveness questions, and trade issues. Case studies could include organics, GMOs, food safety, and nutrition attributes.

 

ECONOMIC METHODOLOGIES FOR VALUING HEALTH RISK REDUCTIONS

Organizing Co-Chairs: Tanya Roberts, Elise Golan, Fred Kuchler, Richard Williams, and others

Possible Co-Sponsors: ERS, NE-165, Food Safety Initiative

Target Date: March 2000

Efficient resource use in controlling foodborne illness hinges on correct valuation of health risk reductions. Economists are increasingly asked to provide valuations of the benefits of policies to reduce risk. This conference would explore valuation methodologies and build consensus on appropriate approaches.

CONSUMER PROTECTION, FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY: EMERGING ISSUES FOR GLOBAL MARKETS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Organizer: International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (Barry Krissoff, Mary Bohman, Maury Bredahl, Spencer Henson, Laurian Unnevehr)

Possible Co-Organizer: NE-165, Date: June 2000 (at U.S. site)

Draft Objective: The goal of the symposium is to examine the increase in consumer demand for higher quality and safer food in the context of a global economy and expanding international trade and the role of public policy in facilitating consumer choice and free trade. We would like to address these general questions: What are the effects of consumer demand for food quality and safety on global agricultural markets? Is there a market failure in providing information on quality, and if so, what policy approaches are preferable? What is the role for international institutions in developing and establishing international standards, or for facilitating harmonization or mutual recognition of national regulations across countries? Are national policies or regulations, perhaps inadvertently, creating nontariff trade barriers? Is free trade an optimal policy in light of market failure for information?

We would like the symposium to serve as a catalyst for addressing these queries and to foster further research in this area of growing importance. We would envision the agenda to cover an overview of the issues, presentations on methodological approaches, and case studies. We would also hope to "commission" some consumer and trade economists to jointly prepare some papers.

RISK ASSESSMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND BENEFIT/COST ANALYSIS FOR FOODBORNE PATHOGENS: AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON

Proposal Submitted by Tanya Roberts

Proposed Date: Sometime in 2001 (Washington, DC or London)

Risk Assessment: How have various countries chosen to allocate resources to estimate the extent of foodborne disease, fund food safety research, fund data collection, assess farm-to-table risks to identify control points? What kind of tools and methods have risk assessors used?

Risk Management: How have various countries chosen to reorganize their policy efforts to control foodborne pathogens? What budgetary changes have occurred? What new policy initiatives have been implemented and how successful have they been? Have risk assessments played a role in policy initiatives? What kinds of public participation have evolved? What have been the changes in the role of industry in providing a safer food supply? Have economic incentives been used prominently in new policy initiatives?

Benefit/Cost Analysis for Foodborne Pathogens: What role have benefit/cost analyses played in formulating new policies? What methods are economists using in their benefit/cost analyses (cost of illness vs. willingness to pay)? Are international methods converging or diverging? What innovative techniques have been used to determine where (from farm to table) to place food safety interventions, either public or private?

Alternative title and focus: IMPACT OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD INDUSTRY: THE ROLES OF RISK ASSESSMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND BENEFIT/COST ANALYSIS

Report of CSREES Research Activities

by Susan Welsh and Melvin Mathias (10/7/98)

I. Organizational Issues

*Dr. Colien Hefferan was appointed Acting Administrator of CSREES on 3/12/98. Dr. Miley Gonzalez, REE Under Secretary, announced that he had asked Dr. Bob Robinson to serve the Department in another administrative capacity. The announcement (# CSREES-SES: 98-5) for recruitment for the Administrator of CSREES opened Oct 12, 1998, and closes Nov 23, 1998.

*Dr. Eileen Kennedy, D.Sc. became the Deputy Under Secretary for REE effective March 1,1998. She served in an Acting capacity since Nov 7 '97. She had been Executive Director of USDA's Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion since 1994.. From 1981 to 1994, she was a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. She is currently a member of the United Nations Advisory Group on Nutrition and a member of the Institute of Medicine's Board on International Health. She received a B.A. degree from Hunter College, a M.S. degree in Foods and Nutrition from Pennsylvania State University, a M.S. in Nutrition and Doctor of Science from Harvard.

*Dr. Rajen Anand was appointed Executive Director of USDA's Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion on Nov 19, '97. He has served as Deputy Executive Director since 1995. For 25 years prior to that, he was a professor of physiology at California State University, Long Beach. He holds a doctorate in human physiology, nutrition and biochemistry and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of California, Davis and has published over 35 scientific articles.

*Dr. Jill Shore Auburn, was named National Program Leader for Sustainable Agriculture in CSREES' Economic and Community Systems unit in January 1998. She was the Associate Director of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at the University of California-Davis, where she received her doctorate in 1985.

*Dr. Gladys G. Vaughn joined CSREES's Families, 4-H, and Nutrition unit 5/24/98 as the National Program Leader for Human Sciences. Dr. Vaughn has more than 20 years experience with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, as a faculty member of the North Carolina Central University Department of Home Economics, and as a secondary school teacher. She received a B.S. degree in textiles/clothing and home economics from the Florida A&M University; her M.S. degree in Home Economics Education from Iowa State University; and a Ph.D. in Home Economics Education Administration from the University of Maryland.

 II. Legislative Issues

* Reauthorization - Research, Extension and Education Title of the Farm Bill The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act (AREERA) was signed into law by President Clinton on June 23, 1998. This is a reauthorization of the research, extension and education title of the 1996 Farm Bill. Congress had authorized this title for only 2 years rather than for the full life of the Farm Bill through FY 2002. This was done to allow time to assess the system including the appropriateness of the budget, intramural vs extramural research, basic vs applied research, competitive vs formula funding, and the need for colleges of agriculture in all states. The overarching themes of the new law are responsiveness to stakeholders -- defined as those who conduct and use research, education, and extension; focus on the mission of assuring a healthy agriculture, environment, and citizenry; efficient and effective resource management and program design and delivery; and expansion of reach to underserved audiences as well as traditional interests. Some specifics of the law include restoring food stamp benefits to certain legal immigrants, mostly children and the elderly; extending the Fund For Rural America; and changes in requirements for Plans of Work from Extension and research that are likely to affect GPRA requirements. An important part of the law was the authorization of the Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems, a new $120 million competitive grant program, to fund research on emerging areas of agriculture, including: agricultural genomes, food safety, food technology and human nutrition, new and alternative uses of agricultural commodities and products, agricultural biotechnology, natural resource management, and farm efficiency and profitability. Several working groups composed of Federal staff and land-grant partners have been established and are developing implementation strategies. The text of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (Bill PL 105-185) is available through the CSREES homepage http://www.reeusda.gov/

*The Farm Bill: Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act became law in March 1996. (http://www.usda.gov/farmbill/index.htm)

*The 1996 Farm Bill authorized a new National Agricultural REE Advisory Board to provide advice on policies and priorities. The Board advises the Under Secretary on high priority research and development issues in food, forestry, and agriculture. A Strategic Planning Task Force on Research Facilities, also authorized by the '96 Farm Bill, was formed under the REE Board to review all agricultural research facilities to ensure that a comprehensive research capacity is maintained. The Task Force which is chaired by Bruce Andrews, Director of the Oregon Dept of Ag, is to complete its duties within 2 years. For more information, see the USDA's homepage or http://www.reeusda.gov/ree/advisory/advise.htm

*The Farm Bill authorized development of a REE Information System (REEIS), a state-of-the-art information technology system to monitor and evaluate research and extension activities conducted and supported by USDA. It is envisioned that REEIS will operate as a platform to link databases serving research, education, and extension. A national steering committee, chaired by Milo Shult, VP for Agriculture, U of Arkansas is guiding development. Preliminary results of a needs assessment were presented at a Steering Committee meeting, Sept 9-10, 1998 in Washington, D.C. In addition, a survey questionnaire will be sent to about 300 research and education system representatives. A final needs assessment report will be available by the end of the year. Contact: Phil Dopkowski (pdopkowski@reeusda.gov)

*The Farm Bill authorized the Fund for Rural America to address the most pressing needs in rural America and to improve the quality of life of its citizens. The authorization was for $100 million annually for 3 years which was to be divided between loans and grants for rural economic and community development and applied research and extension programs. The Fund was announced January 17, 1997. For FY97, the fund was reduced from $100 million to $80 million to help offset the costs of the 1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters. The reduction was applied equally to the research and rural development components. There were three programs in the competitive grants area: the Planning Grants for development of Centers, Center Grants and Standard Project Grants. USDA received about 425 proposals for planning grants - at least one application from each state and over 900 participating institutions. Planning grants provided up to $25,000 to develop and submit proposals for Centers by Jan 1998; awards were anticipated in the Fall of 1998. Approximately 1,100 proposals for standard grants were received; 115 projects were recommended for funding by panels, for a total of just over $31 million dollars. For descriptions of funded projects and general information, see Website http://www.reeusda.gov/fra/ or contact Len Carey at (202)720-1358 or lcarey@reeusda.gov. The 1999 Ag Appropriation Bill sent to the President does not include funds for the Fund for Rural America. Even if the President vetoes the Bill, restoration of funding is unlikely since neither the House nor the Senate versions of the Bill included funds for this program.

*The Government Performance Review Act of 1993 (GPRA) GPRA law requires that federally funded agencies develop and implement an accountability system based on performance measurement, including setting goals and objectives and measuring progress toward achieving them. The draft Strategic Plan (July, 1996), due to become final in 1999, sets 5 Goals:

1. An agricultural system that is highly competitive in the global economy

2. A safe and secure food and fiber system

3. Healthy, well-nourished population

4. Greater harmony between agriculture and the environment

5. Enhanced economic opportunity and quality of life for Americans

State GPRA Performance Plans for 1998 - 2001 were due Feb 1,1998. Reviews of these plans are being conducted by internal panels using consistent criteria and processes across the 5 Goals. The process is almost complete and comments from reviewers will be mailed to the States. State Performance Reports for FY 1998 featuring examples of program impact are due by Feb 1, 1999. CSREES has initiated discussions with land-grant partners appointed by the leadership of ECOP, ESCOP, ACOP, and ICOP on how to respond to the Plan of Work requirements included in AREER. signed into law June 23, 1998. It is anticipated, that progress will be reported and dicussed at the November NASULGC meeting in Atlanta. For more information, see GPRA Homepage http://www.reeusda.gov/part/gpra/gprahome.htm or contact Bart Hewitt 202-720-5285 or gpra@reeusda.gov

III. Budgets:

*The President's proposed 1999 Budget for CSREES was $849,840,000. This is a decrease of $9,106,000 from the 1997 appropriation of $858,946,000.

-New funds were requested for a Pesticide Applicator Training program - $1,500,000; for a Small Farm Initiative - $4,000,000; and for a Food Genome Initiative - $10,000,000.

-Increased funding was requested for the NRI at $130,000,000; a Food Safety Special Research grant at $5,000,000; Extension Food Safety at $7,365,000; Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education at $10,000,000; Youth and Families at Risk at $10,000,000; the Extension Indian Reservation Program at $5,000,000, Extension Services at the 1994 Institutions at $3,500,000, Extension Services at the 1890 Facilities at $12,000,000, and the Binational Agricultural Research and Development program at $2,000,000.

-Level funding was proposed for the base research and extension programs of Evans-Allen, and Extension at the 1890 Institutions and Tuskegee University. Research programs requested at level funding include Critical Issues, Rural Development Centers, and all of the Higher Ed Grants programs. Extension Activities maintained at the 1998 level are Water Quality, Rural Development Centers, Sustainable Agriculture, and the Renewable Resources Extension Act.

-Reductions are proposed in the base programs of the Hatch Act from $168,734,000 to $153,672,000 (9% decrease), and in the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 (Sec.3b&c) from $268,493,000 to $257,753,000 (4% decrease). The latter figure includes a reduction in the EFNEP program from 58,695,000 to 56,347,000.

-Elimination is proposed for Critical Agricultural Materials, Supplemental and Alternative Crops, Farm Safety, Agricultural Telecommunications, Rural Health and Safety, and earmarked Direct Federal Administration projects and grants.

 -Agricultural Appropriations Bills for 1999 were passed by the House on June 24, 1998 and by the Senate on July 16, 1998. The most important difference between the House and Senate bills related to the $120 million for FY99 to fund the new Initiative for Future Agricultural and Food Systems established by the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 signed into law in June. These funds came from redirecting administrative cost savings from the Food Stamp program. The House agricultural appropriation bill included language that prohibited spending of the $120 million on the new Initiative. On the other hand, the Senate bill did not prohibit spending money on the new initiative and they increased all base funds by 3%. Unfortunately, both the Senate and the House Appropriations Committees zeroed out the Fund for Rural America. House and Senate conferees reached final agreement on Oct 2, 1998. The conference report passed the full House on the same day and the Senate passed it on Oct 6^th . The House prevailed on restricting the use of funds provided in the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998. This means that funding for the Fund for Rural America AND the $120 million for the new Initiative for Future Ag & Food Systems is gone for FY 1999. (Note, next year will provide another opportunity for the $120 million since it is a mandatory account). There were increases in the NRI and formula funds. The NRI received the largest gain since its inception with a $22 million dollar increase. Total funding for the NRI is now at $119.3 million. Food safety, water quality research and extension programs also had gains over FY98 levels. Formula funds are up markedly. The Hatch Act, McIntire-Stennis, 1890 research, and Animal Health programs all received a 7% increase over FY98 levels. Smith-Lever and 1890 extension funding received a 3% increase over FY98 levels. CSREES should receive about $60 million more than it received in FY98 with total funding for research at $481.2 million and for extension at $434.1 million. Signature of the of the Bill by the President is pending. Specific allocations are shown in an attachment. For more information, see http://www.reeusda.gov/new/budget/webfund.htm.

*Development of the FY 2000 Budget began last Spring. It is now at the Department level and will soon go to the Office of Management and Budget for review. Final decisions are released when the President presents his budget to the Congress at the end of January.

IV. National Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program

*The NRI supports fundamental and mission-oriented research--on a competitive, peer-reviewed basis--on key problems relevant to a broad spectrum of agricultural issues. The Program Description and Application Kit with downloadable forms may be accessed via the NRI home page (www.reeusda.gov/nri). The 1999 Description was published in Aug 98. Paper copies can be requested from (psb@reeusda.gov.). Contact: 202/401-5022 or nricgp@reeusda.gov. A list serv will notify subscribers of important releases. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: (majordomo@reeusda.gov). In the body of the message, include only the words: subscribe nri-epubs New items available on the homepage include Abstracts of Funded Research; Cover Stories which are short, non-technical summaries of articles that have made the cover of major scientific journals; and Highlights which are short articles documenting the impact of NRI-funded research. Fixed deadlines have been established for proposals:
- - Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health (Nov 15)
- - Markets and Trade; Rural Development; Food Characterization/Process/Product Research; Non-Food Character ization/Process/Product Research (Dec 15)
- - Ensuring Food Safety; Improved Utilization of Wood and Wood Fiber (Jan 15)
- - Research Career Enhancement; Equipment Grants; Seed Grants; Ag Systems (Feb 15)

*The annual Grant Writing Workshop will be presented by USDA staff and be hosted by the U of Missouri Ag Experiment Station Nov 4, 1998 in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, see http://aes.missouri.edu or contact Carrol Lewis (Phone: (573)882-7488; FAX: (573)882-0388; E-mail: lewiscar@missouri.edu).

*CSREES and other federal agencies participate in the Presidential Early Career Awards administered by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). This annual award conferred at the White House recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers at the outset of their independent research careers. CSREES nominates up to 3 individuals from among those funded through the NRI New Investigator Award Program. If selected, the NRI provides 5 years of funding for the recipient. Contact: Sally Rockey srockey@reeusda.gov or 202-401-1761.

V. Science an Education Resources Development (SERD)

*CSREES's Science and Education Resources Development (SERD) is responsible for Higher Education Programs, International Programs, and the Current Research Information System (CRIS). Several grant programs are maintained to strengthen college and university programs. These include the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program, the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program, the 1890 Institution Teaching and Research Capacity Building Grants Program, the Multicultural Scholars Program, the Endowment Fund and Education Equity Grants Program for Tribal Colleges, and the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program. Other related activities include the online Food and Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS), the USDA Excellence in Teaching National Awards Program, the Inventory of Agricultural Research, and studies on education trends. For more information, access via the CSREES homepage or directly via the SERD homepage http://www.reeusda.gov/about/serd1.htm

VI. Other CSREES-Related Information

*A report on food safety, "Ensuring Safe Food From Production to Consumption" was released by the National Academy of Sciences on August 20, 1998. The congressionally mandated report recommends: The U.S. food safety system should be based on science; Congress should establish a unified, central framework for managing food safety programs, headed by one person with control of resources for all federal food safety activities; Congress should revise existing statutes so that inspection, research and enforcement are based on scientifically supportable assessments of risk; and a comprehensive national food safety plan should be developed. It should further integrate federal efforts with state and local activities, while addressing "the distinctive hazards" associated with our increased reliance on imported foods. For more information, see the National Academy of Sciences web site http://www.nas.edu With the same goals in mind, on August 25, 1998, President Clinton signed an Executive Order creating a President's Council on Food Safety to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Secretaries Glickman and Shalala have proposed in a report to the President a structure for a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research. If approved, the next step would be to publish the proposal for public comment and hold a public meeting in November or December to seek further comment.

*The first National Food Safety Research Conference is scheduled for November 12-13, 1998 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Alexandria, VA. The purpose is to establish research priorities. It is sponsored CSREES and ARS in response to Section 615 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. The law also requires that an annual workshop be held in each of the subsequent 4 years. The first day will feature key presenters and the second day, public comments from stakeholders. For further information, contact William Wagner at 202-401- 4952; wwagner@reeusda.gov.

*A call for nominations for the First Annual Awards for Sustainable Communities were announced through a partnership of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Some of the subject areas covered will include: brownfields redevelopment, open space preservation, farmland protection, in-filling, growth boundaries, building disaster-resistant communities, affordable housing, economic development, revenue generation, and job creation. Applications are due Oct 30, 1998. Further information, see http://www.usmayors.org/USCM/awards/ or contact Carol Everett, U.S. Conference of Mayors 202-861-6773; or Nick Keller, NACO 202-942-4224.

*Development of the Year 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has begun. The National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-445) requires the Secretaries of USDA and HHS to publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans at least every five years. These Guidelines are the basis of Federal nutrition policy. An August 28,1998 Federal Register announcement provided the names of committee members, provided notice of the first open meeting of the Committee, and solicited written comments. The Committee members, who are appointed by the Secretaries of USDA and HHS, are Cutberto Garza, Chair (Cornell University), Richard Deckelbaum (Columbia University), Johanna Dwyer (Tufts University), Scott Grundy (University of Texas), Rachel Johnson (University of Vermont) Shiriki Kumanyika (University of Illinois at Chicago) Alice Lichtenstein (Tufts University Center for Aging), Suzanne Murphy (University of California, Davis), Meir Stampfer (Harvard School of Public Health), Lesley Fels Tinker (University of Washington), Roland Weinsier (University of Alabama at Birmingham). The first meeting was be held September 28 and 29, 1998 in Wash DC. For further information, contact Shanthy Bowman (301) 734-5640; or Carole Davis (202) 418-2312; or Kathryn McMurry, M.S. or Linda Meyers (202) 205-4872.

*The 1998 Science and Education Impact Fact Sheets were mailed during the summer to Deans and Directors. This year, 27 separate two-page impact reports were created after the national impact writing team refined the 1,866 submissions. The reports include 565 references to land-grant system research, education, or extension work throughout the United States. They are also available on the CSREES Website (http://www.reeusda.gov/success/impact.htm). Contact: Terry Meisenbach (tmeisenbach@reeusda.gov)

*CSREES/Communications Technology and Distance Educataion (CTDE) will publish the first "issue" of Video Magazine in the fall of 1998. The 30-minute magazine will highlight research, extension, and higher education programs at both the Federal and State levels to strengthen awareness of land-grant programs. A critical component to the success of the initiative will be the submission of video clips and features developed and produced by state communication units. The Video Magazine will be distributed quarterly through satellite transmission and VHS tape and will include multiple segments featuring partnership success stories. Selected segments will also appear on the CSREES Website. Contact: Tom Willis (twillis@reeusda.gov)

*The 1998 Secretary of Agriculture Honor Awards were presented in June to nineteen recipients. These awards represent the highest awards that are presented annually the Secretary of Agriculture. The call for nominations for the 1999 Awards was announced in September. The deadline is October 30^th. For more information, contact Sue Dixon 301-504-1407 or sdixon@ars.usda.gov

*The Agricultural Telecommunications Program FY98 Request for Proposals was announced in the Federal Register on June 18, and proposals were due on 8/17/98. The program is currently undergoing transition as the Ag Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 directed that the program be administered by ADEC, a distance education consortium of land-grant institutions, under terms of and conditions to determined by the Secretary. Specific information about how this effects the FY 1998 program, as well as future programs, is currently being determined by the implementation team. Contact: Cathy Bridwell (cbridwell@reeusda.gov)

*In June, $3 million was awarded in risk management education grants to help farmers and ranchers compete in local and global markets. The grants support public and private educational partnerships in 3 areas: (1) Delivery of risk management education programs to producers and related agribusiness operators; (2) Development of agricultural risk management educational curricula and materials; and (3) Supporting research that leads to improved risk management strategies and decision aids, or improves access to risk management education for agricultural producers. For more information, see http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/1998/06/0236

*USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has moved its web address: www.usda.gov/cnpp "Family Economics & Nutrition Review" and other CNPP publications are available there.

*CSREES is continuing to work towards full implementation of the recommendations of the Current Research Information System (CRIS) Enhancement National Task Force headed by Dr. Colin Kaltenbach. A primary goal is to develop a more flexible and up-to-date taxonomy to reflect research programs and individual projects. Additional information can be found on the CRIS Homepage at http://cristel.na.usda.gov.8080: Contact: Larry Miller (lmiller@reeusda.gov)

*Every year USDA's Agricultural Research Service seeks nominations for the W.O. Atwater Memorial Lectureship co-sponsored by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences or the Institute of Food Technologists and presented at their annual meeting. The deadline is usually November or December. Contact: ARS Info Off, Rm 448, 6303 Ivy Lane, Greenbelt, MD 20770.

*AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access) can now be searched on the Web at http://www.nal.usda.gov/ag98/ AGRICOLA is a database of bibliographic records created by the National Agricultural Library. The records describe publications and resources encompassing all aspects of agriculture and allied disciplines, including plant and animal sciences, forestry, entomology, soil and water resources, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, agricultural products, alternative farming practices, agricultural trade and marketing, rural information, animal welfare and food, nutrition and nutrition education.

*Calls for Proposals (CFPs) for research and education and professional development grants from the USDA-CSREES Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program went out during the summer. (Applications for the third category, producer-led projects, will be released by each region later in the year.) The overall goal of SARE is a food and agricultural system that meets three interconnected goals: profitability, environmental stewardship, and quality of life for people and communities. Collaborative projects involving producers, consumers, and scientists and educators from a variety of institutions and disciplines tackling an issue from a whole-systems perspective are favored over single-discipline, single-topic proposals. Each of the four regions tailors its CFPs to regional priorities and timelines. Contacts:

Northeast: (802) 656-0471 or http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/
Southern: (770) 412-4787 or http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/sare/
North Central: (402) 472-7081 or http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/
Western: (435) 797-2257 or http://ext.usu.edu/wsare/ Sustainable Agriculture
Network (SAN): http://www.sare.org/ SAN publications (e.g. Directory of Expertise): (802) 656-0471 or nesare@zoo.uvm.edu National SARE office (for 1998 Project Highlights, general info): (202) 720-5203

*The Department of Health and Human Services is in the process of developing the third set of decade-long national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for "Healthy People 2010." On September 15, 1998, DHHS announced the release of a draft available for public comment through December 15^th. To access the objectives and submit comments go to the Healthy People 2010 web site at http://web.health.gov/healthypeople/.

*The NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) announced a Request for Applications (RFA) on "Innovative Approaches to Disease Prevention through Behavior Change" (RFA:OD-98-002) in the NIH Guide, Vol 26-36, !0/24/97. Applications were due 5/21/98; awards are anticipated in March 1999. The RFA invited applications for a four year research grant program beginning in FY99 to test interventions designed to achieve long-term health behavior change. The behaviors of interest are tobacco use, exercise, diet, and alcohol abuse; 5-8 grants, not exceeding $700,000 were anticipated. Contact: Susan D. Solomon, OBSSR, NIH, 7550 Wisconsin Av, Rm 8C16, MSC 9172, Bethesda, MD 20892; phone: 301- 496-0979; email ssolomon@nih.gov or access information via the NIH Grants page http://www.NIH.gov/grants/ or directly http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-98-002.html

*The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Loan and Grant program is to provide $150 million in loan funds in 1998 to help stretch $12.5 million in grants to aid rural schools and rural medical care. Since 1993, the DLT program has funded 192 projects totaling $52 million. Applications were accepted from Jan 29 to June 1, 1998. Contact: USDA's Rural Utilities Service http://www.usda.gov/rus or (202/720-9554).

*The Association of Departments and Programs of Nutrition includes more than 50 institutions, approximately two-thirds of which are land-grant universities. The last meeting was held jointly with the Food Science Administrators in Wash DC, Dec 12-13,1997. The next meeting is scheduled January 14-16, 1999 in Austin, TX. For more information, see their homepage http://www.sph.unc.edu/adpn/adpn.html.

*The state land-grant universities, in partnership with CSREES, recently launched a new National Initiative "Healthy People... Healthy Communities." The initiative is designed to help people develop health and healthcare decision-making skills, adopt healthy lifestyles, and analyze community health issues and to help communities improve their ability to make decisions and implement actions regarding health-related infrastructure. Contact Co-chairs: Martha Johnson, Auburn U (334)849-5540 or Anna Mae Kobbe, CSREES (202) 720-2920.

*Updates about the National Nutrition Monitoring System including availability of data tapes are accessed via: http://www.barc.usda.gov/bhnrc/foodsurvey/home.htm To subscribe to a discussion group, send message To: majordomo@nal.usda.gov and in message, type: subscribe survey <email address> Contact: Kay Tippett 301/734-8457. In Dec 1997, the availability of 4 new sets of data tables were announced: (1) 1996 CSFII/DHKS (2) 1994-96 CSFII/DHKS: Combined data for 3-years (3) Intakes of individual fatty acids for CSFII 1994-96 (4) Pyramid servings data for CSFII 1995 and for CSFII1996. A new publication on foods commonly eaten in the U.S., based on the 1989-91 CSFII, was also announced.

*The 1998 issue of "Agricultural Statistics" is available on the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) web site (Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] format only). Its 15 chapters consist of time series data on crops, livestock, farm income and expenses, price-support, fertilizer and pesticides etc. www.usda.gov/nass/pubs/agstats.htm.

* For brief, non-technical summaries of food and nutrition research conducted by the USDA Agriculture Research Service, see http://www.nalusda.gov/fnic/usda/fnrb.

*The new web site, Federal Resources for Education Excellence, offers curriculum materials from more than 35 federal agencies on thousands of topics. It was developed as part of the President's Technology Literacy Challenge program. http://www.ed.gov/free

*The CSREES Home Page (http://www.reeusda.gov) provides names, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of CSREES staff. Also featured are an org chart, and information on human resources, budget and current funding, authorizations, legislation, and activities related to the Government Performance and Results Act. A biweekly Update Report is available on the Home Page under "What's New." To subscribe to this publication, send an e-mail message to: majordomo@reeusda.gov. In the body of the message, type: subscribe OR unsubscribe csrees-update. Open positions with the Federal office and across the land-grant system are routinely posted on the Internet. Submissions may be sent to jhorigan@reeusda.gov for consideration. To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@reeusda.gov. In body of the message, type: subscribe (or unsubscribe) jobs-mg. This information is also available on the Homepage, under "What's New". The CSREES Directory of Professional Workers in State Ag Exp Stations and Other Cooperating State Institutions (Ag Handbook No. 305) is now available on the Web at http://www.pwd.reeusda.gov or via the CSREES home page under the "State Partners" section. Contact: Jerry McNamara 202/401-0951 or (jmcnamara@reeusda.gov). The USDA telephone book is on the Web http://www.usda.gov/phonebook

 

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