Link for full story: http://www.usda.gov/2004/10/0458.xml 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. 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. # USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to oc.news@xxxxxxxx and reference your email address.
