Overview of ARS National Programs

Steven Kappes

Deputy Administrator

Animal Production & Protection

National Program Staff

Agricultural Research Service

Agricultural Research Service• ARS is the

intramural research arm of USDA

• CSREES funds extramural research

http://www.ars.usda.gov/

Profile of ARS• 8,000+ employees• 2,200+ scientists• 100+ laboratory

locations• $1.1+ billion annual

budget • Partnerships with

universities and industry

• Intramural Research• Farm-to-table

research scope• 21 (19) National

Programs• 1,100+ research

projects• Information &

technology transfer

ARS Locations

ARS Is a National OrganizationARS Is a National Organization

ARS Organization (Matrix Management)

ARS is a Mission-Driven Organization

Our mission is to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to:

• Ensure high quality, safe food and other products

• Assess the nutritional needs of Americans

• Sustain a competitive agricultural economy

• Enhance the natural resource base and the environment

• Provide economic opportunities to rural citizens and society as a whole

Through National Programs!Through National Programs!

• A National Program is a set of research projects directed toward common goals to solve agricultural problems of high National priority.

• National Programs are outcome driven, e.g., a safer food supply.

How Do We Meet Our Mission?How Do We Meet Our Mission?

New Uses, Quality & Marketability of Plant & Animal Products

Human Nutrition

Food Safety

Plant, Microbial & Insect Germplasm Conservation & Development

Plant Biological & Molecular Processes

Plant Diseases

Crop Protection & Quarantine

Crop Production

Methyl Bromide Alternatives

National Programs

Animal Prod/ProtAnimal Prod/Prot Natural ResourcesNatural Resources Crop Prod/ProtCrop Prod/Prot

Water Availability & Management

Soil and Air Resource Management

Pasture, Forages and Rangeland Systems

Ag. Waste & Byproduct Utilization

Agricultural System Competitiveness & Sustainability

Bioenergy

Food Animal Production

Animal Health

Veterinary, Medical and Urban Entomology

Aquaculture

Nutrition, Food Nutrition, Food Quality and SafetyQuality and Safety

Provide Program Leadership

Receive input on ‘high priority’ research needs (relevance) and develop Action Plan

Develop research objectives for each research project with scientists

Identifies opportunities to leverage ARS research activities

Develop budget initiatives

National Program Champion

Technical expert – advises ARS Administrator, USDA Secretary, President and Congress

NPS FunctionNPS Function

How ARS Plans and Sets Research Priorities

Executive Branch(Department, other Federal agencies)

Agency Scientists

& Managers

Customers, Partners, &

Stakeholders

Scientific Communities

ARS Program

& Budgeting Priorities

How does ARS address new research problems?

• Redirection

• Collaborations

• New budget initiatives

• Does ARS have the expertise and capacity?

• Can the research be done by universities or industry?

• Fundamental (Basic) vs Applied Research

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program Cycle

2003 – 2008 (current 5 year cycle)

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

Quality (retrospective)

• External panels of scientific experts and stakeholders

• Did the program component achieve the goals of the action plan?

• Was the work of high quality?

• Each component scored for impact

• Program evaluation; not project evaluation

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program Cycle (new 5 year cycle)ARS National Program Cycle (new 5 year cycle)

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

Workshop

Relevance

• Each National Program conducts a national planning workshop– Stakeholder input

• Develops action plan (NPS and scientists)– 5 year plan – Defines program objectives and directions– Set the outcomes for the retrospective

reviews

Program Direction and Resource Allocation Memos

(PDRAM’s)• NPL assigns research objectives and expected

outcomes for each project• Specify the level of SY effort and funding to be

allocated to research project• If applicable, a SY recruitment or assignment

action and the scientific discipline required may also be specified

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

RelevanceRelevance

QualityQuality(Prospective)(Prospective)

QualityQuality(Retrospective)(Retrospective)

Program Planning & Priority Setting

Scientific Merit Peer Review

Program Assessment

ARS National Program CycleARS National Program Cycle

PerformancePerformance

Project Implementation

Program Coordination

Performance(individual scientist)

• Annual performance ratings

• Annual reports including milestones met

• RPES evaluation

Workshop Outcomes

What we need from our Customers and Stakeholders-

• High priority research problems (prioritized)• We need to understand the problem

• Long term needs• Balanced research portfolio (basic and applied)

• ARS will develop an Action Plan• ARS will email customers and stakeholders our

Annual Reports