Science Policy Report

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sciencepolicy@sciencesocieties.org

31 October 2018

In This Issue:

Policy News

Science and Society News

International Corner

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

Policy News

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue swore in Dr. J. Scott Angle as the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at USDA on October 29. President Trump appointed Angle for a six-year term at the agency on August 31. Angle most recently served as the president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), an organization that helps agriculture in developing countries use fertilizer and other technologies. Scott’s resume includes 10 years as Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia and a long academic and administrative tenure at the University of Maryland. Read the full article.
 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received 136 expressions of interest from parties in 35 states interested in becoming the new homes of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In August, Perdue announced that most ERS and NIFA personnel would be moving to outside the National Capital Region by the end of 2019 and invited interested parties to submit proposals, with a deadline which had been extended to October 15, 2018. USDA intends to select the new location or locations by January 2019 and will retain a consultant with expertise in relocations. Read the full article.
 

A flood of candidates with scientific, technical, and health backgrounds decided to run this year for the U.S. House of Representatives. All but one is a Democrat, and many were reacting to the 2016 election of President Donald Trump and the policies of the Republican majority in Congress. On the eve of the 6 November election, we look at those still in the race and those no longer on the ballot. Read the full article.
 

Science and Society News

2018-2019 International Soils Meeting, January 6-9, 2019, San Diego, CA - The International Soils Meeting is one of the few gatherings that brings together scientific leaders from industry, government agencies, and academic institutions in one unique environment. It’s the premiere opportunity for professionals working in the soil and environmentally related sciences to hear about the latest research, meet and learn from their peers, expand their knowledge base, and take advantage of an abundance of networking opportunities to enhance their career. We meet in collaboration with the Canadian Society of Soil Science and the Mexican Society of Soil Science. Learn more and register here. 

Many of us do not think about the data we generate through the day or how those data are used. Swipe your credit card to pay for gas or coffee on your way to work, and your credit card company records that information and can flag potentially fraudulent purchases. Do a quick Google search for a new kitchen faucet, and you will find yourself seeing home improvement ads on every website you visit for weeks. Upload a photo to social media, and the app will make note of your location and even other people in the photo. While these data are valuable for advertisers, the tools they are using to track locations and images, or to flag behavior that deviates from a normal pattern, are also useful for environmental science disciplines. Read the full article.
 

Efforts to restore the rich ecology of the Florida Everglades have so far focused on fighting damage from pollutant runoff and reestablishing the natural flow of water. But now, an expert panel is calling for federal and state agencies to reassess their plans in light of threats from climate change and sea-level rise. The Everglades watershed once included more than 1 million hectares of wetlands, sawgrass plains, and tree islands across southern Florida, but agriculture and human settlement have shrunk that habitat by half. But the new report points to a different set of concerns arising for the region: sea level rise. Read the full article.
 

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 10 members to serve on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board. The NAREEE Board regularly advises the Secretary and land-grant colleges and universities on top national priorities and policies related to food and agricultural research, education, extension, and economics. The Board’s main objective is to contribute to effective federal agricultural research, education and economics programs through broad stakeholder feedback and sound science. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA member, David Baltensperger, was selected to represent 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. Read the full article.
 

This members-only series was designed to provide you with useful information and insights into the management and administration roles you may currently be in or are moving towards.  The series is a collaboration between ASA, CSSA, SSSA and the American Seed Trade Association. Join ASA, CSSA, SSSA for exclusive access to this series and find your professional home. Learn more.
 

Maintaining soil health in agricultural systems can be a challenge for any crop, but potatoes are particularly hard on the soil. Growing potatoes requires tillage and soil disturbance to plant and harvest, and limited plant residues are left to replenish soil organic matter and nutrients. One way to reduce the negative impact of potato farming is to have a three- to four-year rotation between potato crops. However, in some regions, high demand for the crop and limited land for increased production limit this option. Research from other potato-producing regions demonstrated how compost can improve soil health and increase yield. The addition of compost immediately increases soil organic matter, and the greater soil organic matter increases water-holding capacity which can subsequently boost potato crop yields. Read the full article.
 

Annual bluegrass is one of the most common weeds of turfgrass on golf courses, sports fields, and sod farms, not to mention residential and commercial lawns. Unfortunately, this nemesis of pristine landscapes has also developed resistance to many common herbicides. Researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) are participating in a national effort to address what many landscape managers call an epidemic of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass plaguing managed turf systems. The goal is to quantify the scope of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass populations across Tennessee. The team will also develop new diagnostic assays to detect herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass, researching annual bluegrass seed persistence in soil, as well as the effects of turfgrass cultural practices on annual bluegrass infestation. Read the full article.
 

New advances are taking automation to the highest end of human endeavors, offering scientists a shot at some of the most intractable problems that have confounded them — and along the way tipping a global balance to give upstarts like China a more level playing field in the lab. A combination of artificial intelligence and nimble robots are allowing scientists to do more, and be faster, than they ever could with mere human hands and brains. Experimental science is expensive. In biology, for example, pricey equipment and labor mean that scientists can’t do all the experiments they would like. Automating science makes it easier to do big experiments, allowing more people to participate — and potentially boosting the scientific output of countries that have traditionally trailed the U.S. Read the full article.
 

Nitrogen runoff from pastures fertilized with animal manure can result in eutrophication. In a paper recently published in the Journal of Environmental Quality, researchers report on a 12-year study that was conducted on 15 small watersheds in Booneville, AR using five management practices: hayed, continuous grazing, rotational grazing, rotational grazing with an unfertilized buffer strip, and rotational grazing with a fenced unfertilized riparian buffer. The team found that organic nitrogen was the dominant form of nitrogen in runoff and that nitrogen runoff losses from pastures can be greatly reduced with buffer strips and by converting pastures to hayfields. Read the full article.
 

The International Certified Crop Adviser (ICCA) Program developed the Precision Agriculture (PASp) Specialty Certification to meet the growing demand for qualified advisers with focused knowledge and skills in precision agriculture. The Precision Agriculture Specialty is an additional specialty certification that builds upon the basic components of the International CCA Certification, to demonstrate the Crop Adviser’s proficiency in working with the Precision Agriculture concepts/technology and building it into a holistic management model. Registration is open for the February 1 exam. Learn more here.

Please join the American Geoscience Institute (AGI) on Wednesday November 14 at 2:00pm EST for the next free Critical Issues Webinar, “Geoscience for Community Priorities.” In this one-hour webinar, experts in geoscience communication, education, and engagement will discuss a variety of different techniques, media, and principles for more effective communication and collaboration between community leaders, decision makers, and geoscientists. CEUs/CECs available. Learn more about the webinar and register. 

International Corner

The World Economic Forum released its latest global competitiveness report, featuring a new Global Competitiveness Index 4.0, with updated concepts and statistics that rank the level of a country’s productivity and growth. The United States takes the number one spot this year, with a total competitiveness score of 85.6 out of 100, ranking highest overall in three categories — business dynamism, labor market and financial systems — and achieving second place behind Germany in innovation capability. Rounding out the top five are Singapore (83.5), Germany (82.8), Switzerland (82.6) and Japan (82.5). The report notes that top performers in the upper and lower middle-income brackets, notably China and India, are catching up with or even outperforming the average among high-income economies. China, ranking 28th and with a score of 72.6, is already more advanced when it comes to investing in research and development than the average high-income economy, according to the report. Read the full report.
 

The European Union Court of Justice’s (ECJ) recent decision that new gene-editing techniques must go through the same lengthy approval process as traditional transgenic genetically modified (GM) plants has sent shock waves around the world and its greatest impact will be on those who are hungry and food insecure. The decision will have a direct impact on European biotech companies trying to compete in a global market, while the impact on global food security is less obvious but very real. Read the full article.
 

Experts have identified safer, effective pesticides they believe can control a plague of caterpillars that is devastating crops across Africa. Many farmers are attempting to control armyworm – a pest that feasts on maize, rice and sugarcane – through the use of highly hazardous pesticides. But researchers warn such chemicals risk severe harm to health and to the environment, and that farmers should be offered sustainable alternatives. A comprehensive study of biopesticides, which tend to be less toxic, has identified eight alternatives that can control the caterpillars. Read the full article.
 

Farmers in Mali are adopting a new rice production method, the System of Rice Intensification, to boost productivity while reducing water input and improving crop resilience to climate change. The method offers a specific technique for planting and transplanting seeds, enriching the soil, and cultivating the rice that can be used on both irrigated and non-irrigated land—a benefit for farmers in Mali’s dry desert. Read the full article.
 

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

The Soil Health Institute is seeking laboratories to conduct soil analyses in support of its North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. The goal of this project is to determine which measurements are the most effective indicators of soil health in varying climatic zones, soil types and production systems. Soil samples will come from up to 150 long-term agricultural field experiments in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Deadline, November 8. Read the full announcement.
 

The purpose of the Climate Change Research Program is to invest in clean technology development and deployment to help bridge the gap to new technologies, modeling, and analysis, leading to greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and resilience statewide. Successful research proposals must be located in California. The research submission package must describe how the proposed technology(ies) will demonstrate potential to (1) significantly reduce GHG emissions and (2) be easily replicable and scalable. Research proposals must demonstrate how the proposed technology(ies) supports the development of sustainable communities in California by providing direct and direct benefits to low-income and/or disadvantaged communities or supports vulnerable populations’ adaptation to the impacts of climate change. To steer research towards the priority area of Low-GHG Transformative Technology Development and Deployment, The SGC has identified three Research Innovation Fields for this round of investments in Low-GHG Transformative Technology Development and Deployment: Carbon Dioxide Removal; Methane Reduction; and Heating, Cooling, and Thermal Storage Systems. Deadline, November 9. Read the full announcement.
 

The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center has announced the availability of funding through its IPM Partnership Grants Program for three types of projects: IPM Issues, IPM Working Groups, and IPM Communications. Up to $250,000 in total will be available for 2019—with a maximum of $60,000 per award—to fund projects that foster the development and adoption of integrated pest management methods. The Center is particularly interested in projects that address regional priorities within its five signature programs: 1) IPM and Organic Systems, 2) Rural and Urban IPM, 3) Climate Change and Pests, 4) Next Generation Education, and 5) Advanced Production Systems. Deadline, November 15. Read the full announcement.
 

The Southern Region IPM Center is requesting applications through the IPM Enhancement Grants Program for projects that will enhance the development and implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the southern region of the United States. Approximately $180,000 is available. Most projects are limited to $30,000. Eligible applicants include private individuals and institutions, faculty and qualified staff of four-year universities, businesses, commodity organizations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations. Projects will be considered regardless of commodity or setting, including but not limited to crops, built environments, natural areas, landscapes, livestock production, wildlife, forest health, and schools. Deadline, November 16. Read the full announcement.
 

The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program announces the Call for Proposals for Professional + Producer Research and Education Grants for 2019. With a Professional + Producer Research and Education Grant, an agricultural professional and five (5) producers work together to develop a proposal to conduct both research and education on a sustainable agricultural topic. Outreach activities such as: on-farm/ranch demonstrations, farmer-to-farmer educational outreach and other approaches to assist in producer adoption must be included. The goal is to achieve results that can be communicated to producers and professionals and can enhance income, protect the environment, and improve the quality of life for farm and ranch families, communities, and society as a whole. The agricultural professional is the Principal Investigator. The producers act as field advisors to the agricultural professional. Deadline, November 28. Read the full announcement.

The Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) Office is interested in receiving pre-proposals for research focusing in the areas of Environmental Restoration, Munitions Response, Resource Conservation and Resiliency, and Weapons Systems and Platforms technologies. SERDP supports environmental research relevant to the management and mission of the DoD and supports efforts that lead to the development and application of innovative environmental technologies or methods that improve the environmental performance of DoD by improving outcomes, managing environmental risks, and/or reducing costs or time required to resolve environmental problems. All submissions must be in response to a Statement of Need (SON) associated with the solicitation. Pre-proposal deadline, January 8. Read the full announcement.
 

The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program announces a Call for Proposals for Graduate Student Grants in Sustainable Agriculture for 2019. Western SARE funds projects that are relevant to producers and provide readily adaptable technologies and information that advance sustainable agriculture in the western region. Funded projects must contain distinct research and education components and have producer involvement. The Graduate Student Grants provide a maximum of $25,000 and may last for up to two years. Those eligible to apply are masters or Ph.D. students enrolled full time (as determined by the institution’s requirements) at accredited colleges or universities in the Western region. Deadline, January 9. Read the full announcement.
 

Sources: USDA; Science Magazine; Ag Tennessee News; Axios; AGI; World Economic Forum; The Guardian; Agri-Pulse; Thomson Reuters Foundation; Soil Health Institute; Integrated Pest Management Institute

Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.

This page of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA web site will highlight current news items relevant to Science Policy. It is not an endorsement of any position.