**DRAFT**

**Multi-state Coordinating Committee ("Appendix B" format)**

Project or Activity Number: S_temp 1262

Requested Duration: Oct 1, 2005 to Sept 30, 2015

Project Title: Plant Breeding

Statement of Issue and Justification:

Plant breeding has been, and by any scenario will remain, a major
contributor to U.S. agriculture. It impacts all five strategic goals of
the USDA Research, Education, and Economics (REE) 2003-2008 Strategic
Plan (\*). Nonetheless, plant breeding is often unmentioned in the many
"road maps", "white papers", and plans written to guide our national
approach to strategic goals for agriculture and food. Given the scope of
plant breeding's impact, why is it not better known?

The answer traces to plant breeding's own success, plus an artifact of
the coding systems used by electronic databases of U.S. public
investment in agricultural research. The national Current Research
Information System (CRIS), for example, codes data by research topic,
subject organism, and field of science. Methods, like plant breeding,
are not coded. Biotechnology and genomics are methods, too. Like plant
breeding, they are uncoded, and like plant breeding, they do not appear
as categories in the computer-assisted rapid data searches so often
relied on by authors and planners. But other activities and media keep
biotech and genomics in public view. Plant breeding -- phenomenally
successful, but neither novel or controversial---lacks this media
presence.

This CC will serve as a readily-visible, "one stop" identity for the
national plant breeding effort. It will be detectable via rapid
electronic database searches. Its existence will help communicate the
centrality of plant breeding to national goals. It will serve as a venue
for plant breeders to identify national issues and create or seize
opportunities to address them.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(\*) These goals are, roughly: opportunities for farmers; opportunities
for rural America; protection of the food supply; improved national
nutrition; and protection of natural resources
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/ree/strategic_plan.htm).

Objectives:

> 1\. Exchange information within and about the U.S. plant breeding
> effort
>
> 2\. Describe benefits from plant breeding
>
> 3\. Identify research and education priorities
>
> 4\. Others as identified by the members

Procedures and Activities:

> The first year will identify a subset of the following activities to
> address. Selection of action items will be done by the CC proper
> rather than the drafting (sub-)committee.

1\. Exchange information:

-   Develop CC membership to represent fully the plant breeding
    activities of the SAES system, and other entities as appropriate.

-   Develop/maintain a current list of working public breeders and
    breeding programs by crop/ state

-   Support communication between plant breeding sections of different
    scientific societies

2\. Describe the value and benefits of plant breeding

-   Describe the role of plant breeding in mitigation and recovery
    strategies for critical production in a national emergency

-   Develop a method for valuing working genetic material in plant
    breeders' nurseries  (multi-disciplinary, with economists).

-   Communicate about value of working genetic material to decision
    makers, the public, and ag security planners;

-   Identify gaps---identifiable needs or emergencies for which there
    are no candidate materials.

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-   Describe the differences between working collections and the
    National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), and the interfaces (e.g.,
    introgression breeding)

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-   Collect and disseminate evidence describing plant breeding benefits
    to the U.S.

-   Identify ways to measure excellence in plant breeding

3\. Identify research priorities

-   Assess the match between plant breeding investment and
    publicly-funded genomics research. Suggest strategies for delivery
    of benefits from "orphan" upstream research

-   Develop strategies for education of future plant breeders.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts:

1\. A recognized venue and modality for identifying and discussing
issues of strategic importance to the U.S. public plant breeding effort.

2\. Up-to-date summary information about on-going public plant breeding
activity in the U.S.

3\. Expanded awareness among plant breeders and others, regarding
challenges and opportunities facing the discipline.

4\. Responses to challenges and opportunities formulated\--as a basis
for leadership action

\`

Internal and external linkages

-   Appendix E lists the drafting team, representing each region, and
    both horticultural and agronomic crops.

-   Every SAES will be invited to name an official representative.

-   Membership is open to ARS and private sector plant breeders.

-   There is no limit on number of participants. Voting, however, is
    restricted to one vote per "respective entity" (SAES, company, or
    federal agency).

-   Given its challenging goal of identifying constructive action on key
    issues facing the discipline, the CC will encourage participation by
    all interested plant breeders.

Education Plan:

-   Identify issues and strategies related to education of future plant
    breeders.

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-   Circulate an informal e-newsletter for information of interest
    specifically to U.S.-breeders

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-   Compile a list of existing plant breeding web sites having public
    appeal. Feature the list on the CSREES plant breeding web page and
    other sites.

-   Provide a readily-findable information link to similar efforts by
    breeders in various states..

Governance: Standard.

Budget: SAES directors may, but are not obliged to, allocate Hatch funds
to this CC . Non-SAES members of the CC are not eligible for Hatch
funding.

Budget explanation:

-   Funds allocated will be used primarily for meeting travel. Meeting
    schedule will be opportunistic, coinciding Crop Science Society of
    America, American Society for Horticultural Science, or other
    meetings that bring plant breeders to one location.

-   Special projects will request funding from various sources as
    projects are developed.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ### Multi-state Coordinating Committee: Plant Breeding                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ### Appendix E: Projected Participation                               |
|                                                                       |
| ###                                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| #### Part 1: Drafting Team Full Participant List to be determined.    |
|                                                                       |
| #### Tbd = To be determined; N.A. = Not Applicable                    |
|                                                                       |
| ####                                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| <table>                                                               |
| <colgroup>                                                            |
| <col style="width: 26%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 15%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 10%" />                                            |
| <col style="width: 5%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 5%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 5%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 9%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 4%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 4%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 5%" />                                             |
| <col style="width: 6%" />                                             |
| </colgroup>                                                           |
| <tbody>                                                               |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td rowspan="2"><strong>Station/Institution and                       |
| Department</strong></td>                                              |
| <td rowspan="2"><strong>Participant</strong></td>                     |
| <td rowspan="2"><strong>Objective No.</strong></td>                   |
| <td colspan="6"><strong>Research</strong></td>                        |
| <td colspan="2"><strong>Extension</strong></td>                       |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td><strong>RPA</strong></td>                                         |
| <td><strong>SOI</strong></td>                                         |
| <td><strong>FOS</strong></td>                                         |
| <td><strong>SY</strong></td>                                          |
| <td><strong>PY</strong></td>                                          |
| <td><strong>TY</strong></td>                                          |
| <td><strong>FTE</strong></td>                                         |
| <td><strong>Prog.</strong></td>                                       |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>Colorado State, Soil &amp; Crop Sci</td>                          |
| <td>Haley, Scott</td>                                                 |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>Michigan State U, Horticulture Dept.</td>                         |
| <td>Iezzoni, Amy</td>                                                 |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>U Maryland, Nat. Resource Sci. &amp; Landscape Arch.</td>         |
| <td>Kenworthy, William</td>                                           |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>Oregon State U, Horticulture Dept.</td>                           |
| <td>Myers, Jim</td>                                                   |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>U of Florida, Agronomy Dept.</td>                                 |
| <td>Quesenberry, Ken</td>                                             |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>Cornell U, Plant Breeding Dept.</td>                              |
| <td>Smith, Margaret</td>                                              |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="odd">                                                      |
| <td>Texas A&amp;M, Soil &amp; Crop Sciences Dept.</td>                |
| <td>Thaxton, Peggy</td>                                               |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| <tr class="even">                                                     |
| <td>U Wisconsin, Agronomy Dept.</td>                                  |
| <td>Tracey, William</td>                                              |
| <td>Tbd</td>                                                          |
| <td><p>902</p>                                                        |
| <p>903</p></td>                                                       |
| <td>2499</td>                                                         |
| <td>1080</td>                                                         |
| <td>Less than 0.1</td>                                                |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| <td>N.A.</td>                                                         |
| </tr>                                                                 |
| </tbody>                                                              |
| </table>                                                              |
|                                                                       |
| #### Part 2: Research Summary                                         |
|                                                                       |
|   ------------------------------------ --------- --------- ---------- |
|   **Combination of RPA, SOI, and FOS** **Total   **Total   **Total    |
|                                        SY**      PY**      TY**       |
|                                                                       |
|   902, 903-2499-1080                   0.05      N.A.      N.A.       |
|                                                                       |
|   **Grand Total:**                     0.05      N.A.      N.A.       |
|   ------------------------------------ --------- --------- ---------- |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+