ARS Overview, Budget Projections, Research Priorities,

National Program Cycle

Joseph T. Spence, Ph.D.Joseph T. Spence, Ph.D.DirectorDirector

Beltsville AreaBeltsville AreaAgricultural Research ServiceAgricultural Research Service

OutlineOutline

•• Overview of ARSOverview of ARS•• Overview of National ProgramsOverview of National Programs•• The National Program CycleThe National Program Cycle•• BudgetBudget•• 2008 Farm Bill2008 Farm Bill

SecretaryNatural Resources & Environment

Farm and Foreign Ag Service

Rural Development

Food, Nutrition & Consumer Services

Research, Education & Economics

Food Safety

Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Mission Areas

USDAUSDA

Research, Education, and EconomicsResearch, Education, and Economics

Agricultural ResearchService

Cooperative StateResearch, Education, and

Extension Service

Economic ResearchService

National AgriculturalStatistics Service

Merle PiersonDeputy Under Secretary

Gale BuchananUnder Secretary for REE

Profile of ARSProfile of ARS•• 8,000+ employees8,000+ employees•• 2,200+ scientists2,200+ scientists•• 100+ laboratory 100+ laboratory

locationslocations•• $1.2 billion annual $1.2 billion annual

budget budget •• Partnerships with Partnerships with

universities and universities and industryindustry

•• Intramural ResearchIntramural Research•• FarmFarm--toto--table table

research scoperesearch scope•• 22 National programs22 National programs•• 1,100+ research 1,100+ research

projectsprojects•• Information & Information &

technology transfertechnology transfer

5

ARS Laboratory LocationsARS Laboratory Locations

ARS is a MissionARS is a Mission--Driven Driven OrganizationOrganization

Our mission is to conduct research to develop and transfer Our mission is to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination toand provide information access and dissemination to::

•• Ensure high quality, safe food and other productsEnsure high quality, safe food and other products

•• Assess the nutritional needs of AmericansAssess the nutritional needs of Americans

•• Sustain a competitive agricultural economySustain a competitive agricultural economy

•• Enhance the natural resource base and the environmentEnhance the natural resource base and the environment

•• Provide economic opportunities to rural citizens and Provide economic opportunities to rural citizens and society as a wholesociety as a whole

Through National Programs!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.

How Do We Meet Our Mission?How Do We Meet Our Mission?

Soil Resource Management

Air Quality

Global Change

Rangeland, Pasture & Forages

Water Availability & Watershed Management

Agricultural System Competitiveness & Sustainability

Manure & Byproduct Utilization

Bioenergy & Energy Alternatives

Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics & Genetic Improvement

Plant Biological & Molecular Processes

Plant Diseases

Crop Protection & Quarantine

Crop Production

Methyl Bromide Alternatives

ARS National ProgramsARS National Programs

Food Animal Production

Animal Health

Veterinary, Medical & Urban Entomology

Aquaculture

Human Nutrition

Food Safety (animal & plant products)

Quality & Utilization of Agricultural Products

Animal Production & Protection

Natural Resources & Sustainable Ag Systems

Crop Production & Protection

Nutrition, Food Safety & Quality

National Program Rationale

WhenWhen notnot working togetherworking together nornor focused on focused on common objectives, various efforts yieldcommon objectives, various efforts yield smallsmallimprovements, butimprovements, but significantsignificant improvement isimprovement isnot not realized.realized.

Combined effort yieldssignificantsignificant improvement

Each effort yields a smallsmallimprovement

When people work together and When people work together and pursue common objectivespursue common objectives,,smallsmallimprovements yieldimprovements yield significantsignificantimprovement.improvement.

National Program Rationale

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

OMB Research & Development Investment CriteriaOMB Research & Development Investment Criteria

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

OMB Research & Development Investment CriteriaOMB Research & Development Investment Criteria

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

RelevanceRelevance

•• Each National Program conducts a Each National Program conducts a national planning workshopnational planning workshop•• Stakeholder inputStakeholder input

•• Develops action plan Develops action plan •• 5 year plan 5 year plan •• Plans now follow specified formatPlans now follow specified format•• Defines program objectives and directionsDefines program objectives and directions•• Set the outcomes for the retrospective Set the outcomes for the retrospective

reviewsreviews

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

OMB Research & Development Investment CriteriaOMB Research & Development Investment Criteria

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

OMB Research & Development Investment CriteriaOMB Research & Development Investment Criteria

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

OMB Research & Development Investment CriteriaARS National Program Cycle

Quality Quality (retrospective)(retrospective)

•• External panels of scientific experts and External panels of scientific experts and stakeholdersstakeholders

•• Did the program component achieve the Did the program component achieve the goals of the action plan?goals of the action plan?

•• Was the program relevant?Was the program relevant?•• Was the work of high quality?Was the work of high quality?•• Program evaluation; Program evaluation; notnot project evaluationproject evaluation

Matrix ManagementMatrix Management

•• National Program StaffNational Program Staff•• Overall program coordinationOverall program coordination•• Sets program direction and objectivesSets program direction and objectives

•• Area OfficesArea Offices•• Ensures excellence of the program as defined by Ensures excellence of the program as defined by

NPSNPS•• Handles day to day issuesHandles day to day issues

•• Both must work together!Both must work together!

ARS BudgetARS Budget

ARSProgram

& Budgeting Priorities

Executive Branch(Department, other Federal agencies)

Agency Scientists & Managers

Customers, Partners, &

Stakeholders

Scientific Communities

Final Budget

Congressional Appropriation

Budget InitiativesBudget Initiatives

•• Emerging DiseasesEmerging Diseases•• SBR, wheat rust, BSE, AI, FMD, Colony Collapse DisorderSBR, wheat rust, BSE, AI, FMD, Colony Collapse Disorder

•• BioenergyBioenergy & & BiobasedBiobased ProductsProducts•• Obesity preventionObesity prevention•• GenomicsGenomics•• Specialty CropsSpecialty Crops•• Drought mitigationDrought mitigation•• Climate changeClimate change•• Air and Water qualityAir and Water quality•• Homeland securityHomeland security

•• Food safety, NPDRSFood safety, NPDRS

Budget CycleBudget Cycle

FY08

FY10 Planning

10/07

FY09

2/08 5/08 10/09

FY09 Congressional Action

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008of 2008

•• Specialty CropsSpecialty Crops•• $100M over five years$100M over five years

•• Breeding, genetics, genomics and production techniquesBreeding, genetics, genomics and production techniques•• Agricultural Agricultural BioenergyBioenergy and and BiobasedBiobased Products Products

Research InitiativeResearch Initiative•• $250M over five years$250M over five years

•• Fundamental research about production of renewal fuels and Fundamental research about production of renewal fuels and biobasedbiobased productsproducts

•• Organic Farming ResearchOrganic Farming Research•• $180M over five years$180M over five years

•• Colony Collapse DisorderColony Collapse Disorder•• $14M over five years$14M over five years

Farm Bill (cont)Farm Bill (cont)

•• National Institute of Food and AgricultureNational Institute of Food and Agriculture•• Agriculture and Food Research InitiativeAgriculture and Food Research Initiative

•• Plant health and production and plant productsPlant health and production and plant products•• Animal health and production and animal productsAnimal health and production and animal products•• Food safety, nutrition, and healthFood safety, nutrition, and health•• Renewable energy, natural resources, and Renewable energy, natural resources, and

environmentenvironment•• Agriculture systems and technologyAgriculture systems and technology•• Agriculture, economics, and rural communitiesAgriculture, economics, and rural communities