National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research

June 7, 2004

I am Joe Layton, the new president of C-FAR. I am a grain farmer, producing 1250 of corn, soybeans and wheat on an 1800 ac farm on the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland. I represent the American Soybean Association on C-FAR. ASA and I have a strong belief in the importance of research and a commitment to work toward increasing future funding. Our industry has been built on, and prospered on, the past research of our Land Grant Colleges; and I believe our future is dependant on adequate funding. I will, in this letter, talk about where I see C-FAR at today, and where I see us going.

Status

• C-FAR has 91members including 20 National Organization members, 1 Corporate member, 43 University members, 25 Affiliate members, and 3 Honorary members.
• C-FAR has a Board of Directors made up of 13 members.
• We have very capable staff in Tom Van Arsdall, who does a great job for us, but is limited by the financial resources available to being part time.
• Everyone I talk to in the organization shares the strong belief in the importance of research and the immediate need to significantly increase public funding.
• The group has spent much of the last couple of years defining what it should do and how to go about doing it.
• Some members are asking “what C-FAR has done for me,” and want to see significant results soon.

Annual Meeting

• The annual meeting, which is open to all members, was held May 13, 2004 at the American Farm Bureau Offices in Washington DC, and was followed by a meeting of the Board of Directors.
• The meeting was attended by 28 members.
• The program included views of research funding from USDA, from on the Hill and from within our own membership.
• Organizational business—including changing bylaws, electing the Board of Directors, electing officers, and planning future activities—was conducted.
• A plan of action was adopted; and the Research Outreach Committee [tentative name change], now chaired by Board member Lawrence Heider [Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges], was given the responsibility of implementing it.
• We heard a report from Dr William Danforth, chairman of the USDA Research Task Force, on the group’s preliminary recommendation to establish an Agricultural Research Institute, within USDA. C-FAR supports the concept and plans to study and comment on the proposal as soon as there is a final proposal.

Leadership

• The officers for the organization are Joe Layton, President; Dr. Steven Pueppke, Vice President; and Tom Van Arsdall Secretary/Treasurer.
• We are seeking another Board member to serve as a forth member of our executive committee. I am from a production agriculture organization, Dr Pueppke is from research, and Tom is our staff. We would to have to have one of our members from the broader nonproduction food and agriculture industry to give us as broad a perspective as possible in our decision making.
• Our 4 member executive group will make most decisions that don’t go to the Board.

Plan of Action

• Our plan of action has 4 parts which we intend to implement this year and expand in the future.
• Success Stories are one pagers which are produced, put on our web site and distributed on the Hill. We intend to continue to produce these, this year, and try to more often get them in front of people who can help us.
• Research Seminars will be presentations by interesting speakers on important, timely research topics presented on the Hill on a regular basis. We intend to present the first of these in early 2005. The Research Outreach Committee is tasked with developing a detailed implementation plan, and we anticipate providing food or refreshments to encourage attendance.
• Direct Education of decision makers will include presentation of testimony and personal visits, where and when those can be helpful.
• Consideration of and possible action on the Research Institute concept will be undertaken as soon as the proposal is finalized.

Communication

· I intend to communicate regularly, but briefly, with our membership in order for you to know what your organization is doing.

· I invite you give us your comments and concerns.

Membership

• I hope that you will see value in C-FAR and continue to support it. I also hope and request that you tell other individuals and organizations, who share our commitment to research funding, about us so they may join. Increased membership not only provides increased resources necessary for us to expand our program, but just as importantly, increases the impressive number and breath of the organization we represent when we talk to decision makers.