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Release No. 0458.04

Debbie Hanfman (202) 720-8408

> Wayne Baggett (202) 720-4623

VENEMAN APPOINTS NEW MEMBERS TO USDA NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH,
EXTENSION, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS ADVISORY BOARD

WASHINGTON. Oct. 22, 2004 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman
announced the appointment of 10 members to USDA's National Agricultural
Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (the
Board). Of these members, six are new and four are reappointed.

"I am pleased that these individuals have agreed to lend their expertise
and time on this board," Veneman said.

The newly appointed members are: **Joseph DiPietro**, Dean and
Professor, College Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida,
Gainesville, Fla., for *Category Q. American Colleges of Veterinary
Medicine;* **Jeffrey Hamley**, President, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal
College, Mount Pleasant, Mich., for *Category O. 1994 Equity in
Education Land-Grant Institutions*; **Mary Janice Hogan-Schiltgen**,
Professor, Family Social Science Department, & Consumer Economist,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn., for *Category X. National
Consumer Interest Group;* **Susan Stafford**, Dean, College of Natural
Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn., for *Category Y.
National Forestry Group*; **Arnold Taylor**, Manager, Department of
Natural Resources, Hopi Tribe, Kykotsmovi, Ariz., for *Category Z.
National Conservation or Natural Resource Groups*; and **Alton
Thompson**, Dean and Research Director, School of Agriculture and
Environmental Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University, Greensboro, N.C., for *Category N. 1890 Land-Grant Colleges
and Universities.*

The reappointed members are: **Walter** **Armbruster**, President, Farm
Foundation, Oak Brook, Ill., for *Category W. Rural Economic
Development*; **Jeffrey Armstrong**, Dean, College of Agriculture,
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., for *Category H.
National Food Animal Science Society*; **George Hoffman**, President and
CEO, Restaurant Services, Inc., Coral Gables, Fla., for *Category U.
Food Retailing and Marketing Interests*; and **Martin Massengale**,
President Emeritus & Director of the Center for Grassland Studies,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Neb., for *Category I. National Crop,
Soil, Agronomy, Horticulture or Weed Science Societies*.

Each member serves a 3-year term on the Board that expires September 30,
2007. Board meetings are usually held two times per year in the
Washington, DC area, with the addition of a regional listening session
that is held by a Board subgroup once a year in a region outside of the
Washington Beltway and on a topic of critical importance to the
stakeholder community.

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The Advisory Board was established by congressional mandate in 1996 by
the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act. Its major role is to
review and provide consultation to the Secretary of Agriculture and
land-grant colleges and universities on long- and short-term national
policies and priorities relating to agricultural research, extension,
education, and economics. This activity includes advising the Secretary
on USDA strategic planning activities for the Research, Education, and
Economics mission area and its four agencies. Also, the Board evaluates
the results and effectiveness of federally-funded agricultural research,
extension, education, and economics. Other important mandates for this
Advisory Board are detailed in the 1998 and 2002 farm bills.

Of the 31 total members, each appointed member, by mandate, represents a
specific affiliation category on the Board. This categorical
representation helps provide balance of knowledge and expertise in food,
fiber and agricultural areas that relate to research, extension, and
education. It also provides balanced representation to assure that the
broad diversity of stakeholders across the Nation have input into the
process. However, during Board meetings, every member works together to
share knowledge and to build consensus on any particular issue or
subject considered of high priority.

The next advisory board meeting is scheduled for October 27-29, 2004 in
Washington, DC.

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