Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

Executive Summary
Pages 1-14

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 1...
... These changes pose new challenges for the federally funded agricultural research, extension, and education system and indicate a need for reflection on the future directions of that system. In response to a congressional mandate, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
From page 2...
... In responding to its charge, the committee examined the changing context of agricultural research and the widening scope of opportunities for delivering research benefits to society. To capture those opportunities, a renewed federal research enterprise is envisioned, and recommendations are made for changes in research directions, setting of the research strategy, allocation of resources, collaborative relationships, quality and impact assurance, leadership, human capacity, information capacity, and infrastructure.
From page 3...
... The demands for research to support national needs in continued productivity gains, more and varied products, better human health in terms of nutritional outcomes and reductions in foodborne disease, enhanced biosecurity, animal welfare, environmental benefits, and viable rural communities are growing at the same time as scientific advances offer new opportunities for satisfaction of these demands. A VISION OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH The changes now under way in agriculture's social and scientific context require a new vision of agricultural research one that is grounded in lessons from the past, in changing American values, in a globalizing economy, and in scientific advances that have fundamentally altered the life, environmental, and social sciences.
From page 4...
... These include further gains in food and fiber production and such other benefits as enhanced public health, environmental services, rural amenities, and community wellbeing. USDA's REE agencies will provide leadership in fostering this concept.
From page 5...
... · Improving quality of life in rural communities. Evaluate the effects of changes in agricultural market structure.
From page 6...
... RECOMMENDATION 2: The REE agencies need to identify clearly their unique positions relative to the other components of the agricultural-research system, identify high-impact activities through which targeted funding and resources could generate substantial and measurable progress toward meeting national needs, and coordinate planning and research support across the agencies to minimize unnecessary duplication and maximize effectiveness. Those efforts should be informed by a clear articulation of the major national priorities for research and education and a system for anticipating, reporting on, and identifying strategies to address emerging research needs (Chapter 4~.
From page 7...
... It is also unclear whether the current portfolio of funding mechanisms will adequately address the complex problems of contemporary agriculture in the 21st century and realize the new vision of REE research. In particular, additional flexibility is needed to help the REE agencies respond most effectively to opportunities and to help provide the research results that are needed by USDA agencies administering programs mandated by the department (action agencies)
From page 8...
... 2. Action agencies should receive or control discretionary funds to be used to meet critical programmatic needs complementary to those currently served by REE agencies.
From page 9...
... Examples of emerging and continuing partners in REE research are other federal research agencies involved in human health and the environment, nonprofit organizations, international research centers, and agricultural research systems in other countries. All those kinds of partnerships can play important roles in addressing new research opportunities.
From page 10...
... In benchmarking REE against other federal intramural research programs, the committee found that unsatisfactory performance has very little consequence in the REE intramural system, whereas in some other federal intramural research programs, reduction or complete loss of research support or ineligibility for tenure was a consequence of unsatisfactory research performance. RECOMMENDATION 7: The REE intramural research system should strengthen quality control for poor research performance.
From page 11...
... Organizational Capacity and Research Leadership The current organizational structure of research efforts in the REE agencies limits the combined effectiveness of the agencies. Leadership to provide intellectual guidance and a long-term, coherent vision for REE research, promote intraagency coordination, broker partnerships outside the REE agencies, and integrate REE's research within the federal research program is lacking.
From page 12...
... The committee found that REE agencies face a number of recruitment and retention challenges, including stiff competition from the private sector, other federal agencies, and academe, complex and constraining hiring rules under the Office of Personnel Management, and an increasing number of non-US citizens with PhDs in agricultural sciences who are not eligible for employment in US government agencies. In spite of these challenges, REE agencies have made use of a variety of recruitment procedures and retention incentives to increase flexibility.
From page 13...
... New categories of data and systems for data use are needed. Creative approaches to data collection and analysis that integrate the unique strengths and complementary expertise of all the REE agencies, land-grant universities, other government agencies, the private sector, nongovernment and voluntary groups, and international organizations should be implemented.
From page 14...
... The closing, consolidation, or renovation of facilities should be implemented (Chapter 7~. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE As the world' s premier agricultural research system, USDA and its partners have been widely emulated.


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.