Approved Minutes of the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education

State Board of Agricultural Research and Education
Minutes - June 18, 2001
NDSU Alumni Center, Fargo, ND

The State Board of Agricultural Research and Education met at 10:00 a.m., June 18, 2001, in Fargo at the NDSU Alumni Center. Members present were: Sharon Anderson, Tom Archbold, Keith Bjerke (for Joseph Chapman), Ryan Brooks, Tim Bryan, Sylvia Daws, Jerry Doan, Neal Fisher, Cole Gustafson, Jody Hauge, George Heller, Patricia Jensen, Burdell Johnson, and Roger Johnson.

SBARE Chair Jerry Doan called the meeting to order and asked for approval of the April 30 meeting minutes. Keith Bjerke requested a change on page 4 to state "the reason the legislation was changed in the last session was to remove doubt of constitutionality." Tim Bryan made a motion to approve the minutes with the correction. Burdell Johnson seconded the motion, which passed.

Patricia Jensen shared the following campus news:

• Dr. Douglas Freeman has been hired to chair the Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences and will begin his responsibilities in mid-July. An offer has been made to Dr. Mark Peterson to chair the Animal and Range Sciences Department, but he has not yet accepted the position.
• Ryan Bernstein, graduate of the NDSU College of Agriculture and former student representative with the State Board of Higher Education, was burned in a farm accident this past week and is recovering at a St. Paul, MN hospital.
• Dr. Lynn Brun will retire as chair of the Soil Science Department June 30. Professor Jimmie Richardson has agreed to serve as interim chair.
• Jensen will be traveling to Rapid City, SD June 25 for a meeting with deans from South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming to discuss potential collaborations.
• President Chapman has challenged unit administrators to provide salary increases to deserving faculty and staff. Agriculture was able to provide overall average salary increases slightly higher than 4% and will continue to explore ways to obtain additional soft money.

On behalf of SBARE, Jerry Doan thanked Lynn Brun for his service and dedication to the success of SBARE over the past years and wished him well in his retirement.

Cole Gustafson provided the following update:

• NDSU agriculture has been notified of receipt of four new USDA challenge grant awards.
• NDSU is participating in a collaborative potato research project with Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan.
• Jerry Bergman, director of the Williston Research Extension Center, is hosting the International Safflower Conference July 22-27.

Keith Bjerke reported that the commodity group contract issue discussed at the April meeting has not yet been settled and more time is needed to finalize the agreements. Roger Johnson has participated in meetings with several commodity groups and NDSU administrators. Johnson summarized the discussions at the meetings as follows:

• Paul Germolus from the Office of the Attorney General will attempt to gather draft contracts from other states for review. He will assemble and develop a list of issues to discuss. He will also be asked to get an intellectual property rights attorney to review.
• There was discussion regarding adequate producer representation on the Research Foundation.
• Johnson requested a 30-day extension.
• The individuals agreed to meet again to have a general discussion regarding issues. The meeting is tentatively set for July 18.

Roger Johnson suggested Paul Germolus work with NDSU administration to extend current agreements until the issues are resolved.

Ray Martinson, representing the North Dakota Soybean Council, stated that there is no dissatisfaction with the research being conducted, but the contracting process has been very frustrating to the Council.

Pat Jensen indicated that researchers are distressed by the uncertainty of their funding since no contract is signed. She pointed out that they would like assurance that the money will be available to support and complete their programs.

Neal Fisher made a motion to consider a 30-day extension to facilitate the agreement. George Heller seconded the motion.

Keith Bjerke suggested extending an interim agreement to time certain with 30-day periods (progress reporting to Roger Johnson) persuading all parties to talk to resolution. Pat Jensen and Roger Johnson stressed the need to give faculty and researchers a feeling of security beyond thirty days.

R. Johnson suggested an amendment to encourage check-off groups to sign an agreement as soon as possible absent the intellectual property language and to further authorize additional 30-day extensions. Tim Bryan moved to approve the amendment and Tom Archbold seconded. The amendment passed. The amended motion also passed.

Dale Zetocha gave SBARE an update on the status of biotech contracts NDSU has with private companies. He indicated there is progress, but there are many details to work through.

Sharon Anderson gave a report on extension programs and activities:

• Introduced Tom McSparron, the new development director for the North Dakota 4-H Foundation. She stated he comes to the NDSU Extension Service with lots of experience and creative ideas.
• Approximately 200 children are on the NDSU campus this week for state 4-H Conference.

• The Extension Leadership Team has looked at the budget, made plans on how to baseline and talked about how to proceed with budget planning.
• Extension staff are working on grant proposals in the area of livestock waste management, which has become a very high interest topic lately.
• Statewide Bison tours are ongoing. There have been great turnouts and those attending have asked good questions.
• There are several searches in progress including replacements for Dr. Art Lamey and Dr. Harlan Hughes.
• Soil Conservation Service staff will be looking for an opportunity to visit with SBARE in the coming year to discuss budget.

David Saxowsky, director of Agriculture Communications, visited with SBARE about communication issues. He suggested a small group of members may wish to meet with Ag Comm staff to discuss issues relating to SBARE and associated communication efforts.

The board recessed for lunch and recognized Sylvia Daws for her service on the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education. They reconvened at 1:25 p.m.

Ryan Brooks updated the board on progress of the SBARE Livestock Subcommittee, indicating they would be meeting on June 19 in Bismarck. They plan to work on BeefLine Initiative and feedlot issue. Brooks hopes to have some prioritization recommendations ready for next full board meeting.

Tim Bryan reported on the SBARE Crops Subcommittee, stating they are framing a survey to distribute to agricultural industry to get input/feedback to adverse economic impacts.

Jerry Doan indicated the budget subcommittee had a good meeting in Bismarck June 11. The group will continue their work and will bring recommendations to the full board for their consideration.

Doan reviewed agenda items noted on the consent agenda, but Roger Johnson expressed concern with not having more detail to review prior to this meeting. Following discussion, board members did not agree to support the entire consent agenda with a single motion.

Roger Johnson made a motion to approve agenda items 1, 2, 3 and 6 as follows: 1) authorize Williston land purchase; 2) authorize Minot land purchase and $60,000 commitment from main station and request NDSU bring to future meeting economic summary of how the $60,000 would bring net savings to North Dakota; 3) authorize funding of salaries at 3% general fund and 1% special funds; and 6) authorize $300,000 general fund and $510,000 special fund expenditure for the Langdon Learning Center. Tim seconded the motion. Following discussion the motion passed.

SBARE members discussed consent agenda item regarding initial allocations of $2,200 per scientist for operating and $500 per scientist for equipment, as well as how the remainder of the operating funds will be distributed considering past initiatives. SBARE subcommittees will work with department chairs to determine justification for programs funded through the past initiatives.

Roger Johnson made a motion to allow NDSU budget personnel to proceed with allocations, initially allotting $2,200 per scientist for operating and $500 per scientist for equipment needs and to request a series of recommendations with options as to how research funds are allocated, prepared by NDSU ag administrators, to be discussed at the next meeting. Tim Bryan seconded the motion, which passed.

Sharon Anderson indicated the Extension Service allocates operating and equipment dollars per specialist to the department with reserve travel funds maintained in a central pool.

Jerry Doan reminded SBARE that there was a legislative mandate to establish livestock marketing clubs in western North Dakota. Sharon Anderson stated she and her staff were looking at what is currently available and how they should proceed.

Doan also talked about legislative intent to determine need for malting barley research in western North Dakota. Pat Jensen indicated a faculty member will be appointed to oversee the barley efforts in the state and will meet with individuals in the western North Dakota to discuss barley research.

Doan stated that Lori Capouch, administrator of the Ag Research Fund, was working on some minor changes in the ARF Policies and Procedures. The proposed document, with changes, will be distributed to SBARE members for their approval. Also, SBARE members agreed to maintain the same process for selection of research fund granting committees.

Tom Archbold was named to serve on the horticulture planning group and Tim Bryan agreed to serve as the SBARE representative to the Agronomy Seed Farm.

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

Recorded by Margaret Olson

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