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

• Ag Experiment Station programs including

experimental farms

• Cooperative Extension

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Board of Agriculture

Questions? Thank You for Your Support

Photo by Edwin Remsberg. Photo by Edwin Remsberg.