The Agricultural Research ServiceThe Agricultural Research Service

Steven R. ShaferSteven R. ShaferDeputy AdministratorDeputy AdministratorNatural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural SystemsSystems

1862-2008 1862-2008 146 years of “practical 146 years of “practical and scientific and scientific experiments” by USDAexperiments” by USDA

Mission Areas Within Mission Areas Within USDAUSDA

Under Secretary forM arketing & Regulatory Programs

Under Secretary forFood, Nutrition,

& Consum er Services

Under Secretary forFarm & Foreign

Agricultural Services

Deputy Under Secretary forRural Developm ent

Under Secretary forFood Safety

Under Secretary forNatural Resources

& Conservation

Under Secretary forResearch, Education,

& Econom ics

Secretary of Agricu lture

Research, Research, Education, and Education, and EconomicsEconomics

USDASecretary of Agriculture

Under SecretaryFor

Research, Education,and Economics

2,200+ scientists2,200+ scientists 9,000 employees9,000 employees 100+ laboratories100+ laboratories $1.1 billion $1.1 billion

annual budget annual budget (FY08)(FY08)

International International collaborationcollaboration

Partnerships with Partnerships with universities and universities and industryindustry

In-house scientific In-house scientific research arm of research arm of USDAUSDA

Farm-to-table Farm-to-table research scoperesearch scope

Information and Information and technology technology transfertransfer

22 National 22 National ProgramsPrograms

1,100+ projects1,100+ projects

ARS ProfileARS Profile

Mission of ARSMission of ARS

•To conduct research to:To conduct research to:• Ensure high quality, safe food and other Ensure high quality, safe food and other

productsproducts; ;

• Assess the nutritional needs of AmericansAssess the nutritional needs of Americans;;

• Sustain a competitive agricultural Sustain a competitive agricultural economyeconomy; ;

• Enhance the natural resource base and Enhance the natural resource base and the environmentthe environment; and ; and

• Provide economic opportunities to rural Provide economic opportunities to rural citizens and society as a wholecitizens and society as a whole..

How Do We Meet Our How Do We Meet Our Mission?Mission?

Through National Programs

–A National Program is a set of research projects directed toward common goals to solve agricultural problems of high National priority.

•National Programs are outcome driven, e.g., “A safer food supply”

Role of National Program Role of National Program StaffStaff

Maintain relevance of Maintain relevance of research program research program through:through:– Priority settingPriority setting– Budget Budget

developmentdevelopment– Program analysisProgram analysis– Reporting to Reporting to

Congress and Congress and stakeholdersstakeholders

– Program Program coordinationcoordination

ARS National Programs

• Food Animal Production

• Animal Health

• Arthropod Pests of Animals and Humans

• Aquaculture

• Water Availability and Water Availability and Watershed Watershed ManagementManagement

• Global Change, Soil Global Change, Soil and Emissionsand Emissions

• Bioenergy and Bioenergy and BioproductsBioproducts

• Agricultural Waste Agricultural Waste and Byproduct and Byproduct UtilizationUtilization

• Pasture, Forage and Pasture, Forage and Range Land SystemsRange Land Systems

• Agricultural System Agricultural System Competitiveness and Competitiveness and SustainabilitySustainability

.

.

.

.

.

Animal Production & Protection

Natural Resources & Sustainable Agric.

Sys.

• Plant, Microbial & Insect Germplasm Conservation & Development

• Plant Biological & Molecular Processes

• Plant Diseases

• Crop Protection & Quarantine

• Crop Production

• Methyl Bromide Alternatives

Crop Production& Protection

• Human Nutrition

• Food Safety• New Uses, Quality

& Marketability of Plant & Animal Products

Nutrition, Food Safety & Quality

Under Under recruitmenrecruitmen

tt

Agriculture & Natural Agriculture & Natural Resources: MissionResources: Mission

To develop scientific knowledge To develop scientific knowledge and technology to ensure safe and and technology to ensure safe and affordable food, feed, fiber, and affordable food, feed, fiber, and sustainable energy supplies, while sustainable energy supplies, while enhancing the environment and enhancing the environment and quality of life for producers, rural quality of life for producers, rural communities, and the Nation.communities, and the Nation.

Benefits of National Benefits of National ProgramsPrograms

CCoordinationoordination

CommunicationCommunication

EmpowermentEmpowerment

ARS LocationsARS Locations

ARS Partners In ARS Partners In ResearchResearch

USDAUSDA Other Government Other Government

AgenciesAgencies State UniversitiesState Universities International OrganizationsInternational Organizations

– U.N. Food and Agriculture U.N. Food and Agriculture OrganizationOrganization

– World BankWorld Bank– Consultative Group of Consultative Group of

International Agricultural International Agricultural ResearchResearch

– Tropical Ag Research & Tropical Ag Research & Higher Ed CenterHigher Ed Center

– U.S./Israel BARDU.S./Israel BARD

How ARS Plans and How ARS Plans and Sets Research Sets Research PrioritiesPriorities

StakeholdeStakeholder inputr input

Program Program planning planning cyclecycle

ARS Customers & ARS Customers & StakeholdersStakeholders

Action and Regulatory Action and Regulatory AgenciesAgencies

Producers–Farmers Producers–Farmers and Ranchersand Ranchers

IndustryIndustry Non-governmental Non-governmental

Organizations (NGOs)Organizations (NGOs) State and Local State and Local

GovernmentsGovernments ConsumersConsumers

ARS Priorities

Other Agencies

President, Secretary &

CongressCustomers

Scientific Community

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

OMB Research & Development Investment Criteria

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program Cycle

ARS Matrix Management Responsibilities

NPS Lead

AD LeadNPS Lead

NPS Lead

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

AD Lead

ARS Scientific Peer Review ARS Scientific Peer Review ProcessProcess

Verify scientific Verify scientific merit and merit and programmatic programmatic relevance.relevance.

At least once At least once every 5 years; every 5 years; majority of majority of reviewers reviewers external external scientists.scientists.

Office of Office of Scientific Scientific Quality Quality Review Review (OSQR) is (OSQR) is Responsible Responsible For:For:

Panel organization & Panel organization & composition composition

Distribution of Distribution of project plans project plans

Reviewer instruction Reviewer instruction and orientationand orientation

The distribution of The distribution of results in ARS results in ARS

Notifies panelists of Notifies panelists of the Agency response the Agency response to recommendations to recommendations

Ad hoc or re-reviews Ad hoc or re-reviews of project plans of project plans

Information Dissemination Information Dissemination and Technology Transferand Technology Transfer

Scientific Scientific PublicationsPublications

Office of Office of Technology Technology TransferTransfer

National National Agricultural Agricultural LibraryLibrary

Information Information StaffStaff

www.ars.usda.gov

Goals of Technology Goals of Technology TransferTransfer Public mission – a problem solving Public mission – a problem solving

agencyagency TransferTransfer of technology is the of technology is the

primary objective --- not incomeprimary objective --- not income Protect intellectual propertyProtect intellectual property onlyonly

if it enhances technology transferif it enhances technology transfer Facilitate development of Facilitate development of

cooperative research agreementscooperative research agreements

Cooperative Research Cooperative Research and Development and Development AgreementsAgreements

ARS Office of ARS Office of Technology Technology TransferTransfer

Additional Additional operating funds operating funds for ARSfor ARS

Projects Projects reviewed for reviewed for benefits to benefits to publicpublic

ARS Program StructureARS Program Structure

Each person supports the

researchprogram of the

scientist

National Program Leaders

Area Directors

Scientist

Lead Scientist

Research Leader

Center, Institute, Laboratory Director

Leading America towards a better future through agricultural research and information.