State Board of Agricultural Research

State Board of Agricultural Research and Education
Minutes  February 11, 2008
NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, ND

The State Board of Agricultural Research and Education met at the NDSU Memorial Union in Fargo, North Dakota, beginning at 8:00 a.m. on February 11, 2008. Members present were Ole Aarsvold, Bob Bahm, John Bollingberg, Tom Borgen, D.C. Coston, Jerry Effertz, Ken Grafton, Duane Hauck, Rodney Howe, Doyle Johannes, Paul Langseth, and Larry Lee.

Chairman Jerry Effertz called the meeting to order and minutes of the January 17 SBARE meeting were approved as distributed.

D.C. Coston distributed copies of the most recent status report for initiatives funded in 2007. He mentioned that the 82^nd Little International event took place on campus this past weekend and it was a wonderful success. Coston also reported that the BioEpic Center will be organizing a set of seminars and the planning group is hoping to engage industry people.

Duane Hauck reported that several county extension offices have hosted luncheons with local legislators and county commissioners to share information about activities. He added that the visits have been very positive and several more will take place in the coming months.

Chairman Effertz indicated that he hopes to make today’s meeting very informative, providing a review of all the programs included in the research and extension narratives. He encouraged board members to ask questions and make sure they are very clear about all programs discussed.

Effertz distributed copies of a 1998 Commission on the Future of Agriculture report and encouraged SBARE members to read the report and compare it to present time. He suggested there are a lot of similarities between then and now.

Ken Grafton and Duane Hauck distributed narratives that provided information about all of the program budget needs gathered over the past months. They reviewed each program and allowed time for questions or comments about each:

1. Extension agents in training

2. Family nutrition program

3. Native American programming

4. Agronomy technical support

5. Energy conservation through precision agriculture

6. Multiple land use

7. Soil health/salinity

8. Sustainable agriculture

9. Tillage

10. Cropping/tillage systems

11. Soil microbiology

12. Institute for Agribusiness Enterprise Development

13. Pulse and oilseed quality and product development

14. Crop quality

15. Food entrepreneurs

16. Genetics of bioproducts research

Following a short break, President Joseph Chapman joined the group and visited about some things going on at NDSU, including:

1. NDSU’s research ranking

2. Management of enrollment growth

3. New extension engineering positions in North Dakota

4. Partnerships with other North Dakota universities

5. New buildings and enhancements to NDSU campus

Grafton and Hauck continued with their review of proposed budget initiatives:

17. Forage agronomist

18. 4-H Camping

19. 4-H leadership education

20. Watershed education

21. Wheat rust pathologist

22. Crop disease management

23. Insects

24. Weed science

25. Insect vectors of plant diseases

26. NDAWN

27. Enhancing livestock development

28. Swine

29. Animal health

Following a lunch break, the board continued their review:

30. Expanded horticulture research

31. Aging in North Dakota

32. Nutrition and wellness

33. School readiness

34. Support staff in communications

35. Extension operating support

36. IT technical support

37. Center for ag policy and trade studies

38. State data center

39. Deferred maintenance and extraordinary repairs

40. Support staff

41. Graduate research assistants

42. Revolving equipment fund

Board members discussed the process for rating all of the programs and were asked to complete their work by February 29. Effertz noted that the ratings would be summarized and ready for discussion and evaluation at the March 7 meeting in Mandan.

The meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

Recorded by Margaret Olson