Source: USDA, 11/17/14

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of eight individuals to serve on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board.

The NAREEE Advisory Board advises the Secretary of Agriculture and land-grant colleges and universities on top national priorities and policies for food and agricultural research, education, extension, and economics. In addition, the Board holds stakeholder listening sessions, reviews draft guidance for competitive-grant programs, advises the Agriculture Research Service on its scientific peer review process for national programs, conducts an annual review of all agricultural research, extension, or education activities conducted or funded by the Department for relevance to national priorities and adequacy of funding, and advises the USDA's Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area in the development of its draft Strategic Plan.
"The board members represent a wide-variety of experience and their expertise ensures USDA and the land-grant colleges and universities are continual prepared to meet current and future challenges," said Vilsack.

Each of the 25 NAREEE Advisory Board members represents a specific category of U.S. Agricultural stakeholders as outlined in the 2008 Food, Energy, and Conservation Act, such as farming or ranching, food production and processing, forestry research, among many others.

The following members have been appointed to a two- or three- year term beginning October 1, 2014:
Category B. Farm Cooperatives: Mr. James P. Goodman, Owner/Farmer, Northwood Farm, Wonewoc, WI (Re-appointment)
Category D. Plant Commodity Producer: Mr. Chalmers Carr III, Farmer, Owner, Titan Farms, Ridge Spring, SC
Category E. National Aquaculture Association: Jeremy Liley, President/Aquatic Biologist, Liley Fisheries and Aquatic Consulting, Windsor, CO, and member of the National Aquaculture Association (Re-appointment)
Category H. National Food Science Organization: Mark R. McLellan, Vice President of Research & Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Utah State University, Logan, UT, and member of the Institute of Food Technologists (Re-appointment)
Category J. National Nutritional Science Society: Adriana Campa, Associate Professor of Nutrition, Florida International University, Miami, FL, and member of the American Dietetic Association and the American Society of Nutrition (Re-appointment)
Category K. 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities: Milo J. Shult, Vice President for Agriculture, Emeritus, University of Arkansas System, Doss, TX, and member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (Re-appointment)
Category M. Non-Land Grant College or University w/History Commitment to Research in Food and Agricultural Sciences: Chad Waukechon, Dean, Community Programs, College of Menominee Nation, Keshena, WI, and member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (Re-appointment)
Category Y. National Social Science Association: Dawn Thilmany, Professor, Colorado State University, Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, Fort Collins, CO, and member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (Re-appointment)

Most recently, the NAREEE Advisory Board conducted an open, public meeting on October 21-23, 2014 in Washington, DC. The Board successfully approved a report and recommendations on the balance of crop research and held an extensive discussion on the annual relevancy and adequacy review of the REE programs and activities.

For additional information, please contact Michele Esch, Executive Director, REE Advisory Board Office, Room 332A, Whitten Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 3401, Washington, DC 20250-0321, Telephone: 202-720-3684, Fax: 202-720-6199, or e-mail: michele.esch@ars.usda.gov.