BOARD OF AGRICULTURE Supporting University of Maine Agriculture - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

board of agriculture
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE Supporting University of Maine Agriculture - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE Supporting University of Maine Agriculture & Food Research and Extension David K. Bell, Chair BOA Legislative Charge Advise UMS chancellor and University of Maine president on operations and management of Ag


slide-1
SLIDE 1

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

Supporting University of Maine Agriculture & Food Research and Extension David K. Bell, Chair

slide-2
SLIDE 2

BOA Legislative Charge

  • Ag Experiment Station programs including

experimental farms

  • Cooperative Extension

Advise UMS chancellor and University of Maine president on operations and management of

slide-3
SLIDE 3

Board of Agriculture Formation

  • Legislature—1997
  • Mid-1990s, university

budget cuts—Highmoor Farm

  • Legislature recognized

importance of research & development

  • 7 R&D Sectors including

forestry and agriculture

  • MEIF—R&D funding

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-4
SLIDE 4

BOA Successes – 15 Years

  • Maine Economic

Improvement Funding (MEIF)—university farms

  • Key university ag/food

positions filled—MEIF help

  • Joint research and extension

faculty

  • Access to University of Maine

leadership

  • “Relatively” stable university

and federal budgets

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-5
SLIDE 5

Maine Economic Improvement Fund

(Research & Development $)

MEIF Funding Supports:

  • Experimental farms, garden,

and greenhouse operations

  • Ag research and extension

positions

  • Food processing and safety:

research and extension

  • Maine Ag Center seed

grants

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-6
SLIDE 6

UMaine Agriculture Research & Extension

  • Relatively strong compared

to other New England states

  • Because of support by

– AgCom – ME Farm Bureau – Crop and farm groups – BOA

  • 1990s—budget wakeup—

legislative actions

  • Advocacy for ag R&D

(Extension) funding

slide-7
SLIDE 7

Ag Research & Extension Challenges Anew

BOA late 2013–2014:

  • Decade of cumulative

“small budget cuts”

  • University of Maine System—

structural budget gap, ag impacts

  • University tuition-driven

budgets

  • Land grant—university

leadership concerns

slide-8
SLIDE 8

Board of Agriculture—Winter 2014

  • Heightened concerns

university ag research and extension capacity

  • Must address university

budget impacts

  • Must engage UMaine

president & UMS chancellor

  • Need to increase ag

research and extension support and advocacy

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-9
SLIDE 9

Board of Agriculture — 2014

  • Multiple meetings UMaine

president (new) and UMS chancellor

  • Focus on human capital—

research and extension faculty

  • ID current critical faculty

resources

  • ID critical faculty needs
  • ID near retirements as

capacity concern

Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

Photos by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-10
SLIDE 10

Board of Agriculture — 2015

  • Work with chancellor and

president (and key administrators) on critical university human capacity needs

  • Educate legislature on ag/food

R&D (extension) opportunities

  • Support university budget and

MEIF

  • Engage ag community

Photo by Edwin Remsberg. Photo by Edwin Remsberg.

slide-11
SLIDE 11

UMaine Ag & Food, Research/Extension

Your Support Needed

  • Speak to legislators—Importance UMaine ag

and food research and extension (development)—Ag economic growth

  • Support MEIF R&D funding—State budget
  • Support University of Maine budget
  • DACF Commissioner—IPM priority for USDA-

Specialty Crop block grants

  • Clearly articulate research and extension needs

to university leaders

slide-12
SLIDE 12

Board of Agriculture

Questions? Thank You for Your Support

Photo by Edwin Remsberg. Photo by Edwin Remsberg.