192 



18 



Given that the existing Regional Research Programs seem to be an 

 ineffective mechanism for strengthening the organization of applied livestock 

 research, I am recommending that federal fvinding of scientists' livestock 

 research be administered as competitive research programs that encourage 

 pooling of scientific talent and sharing research results. The general 

 research priorities should be set by a panel of modest size containing USDA and 

 land-grant scientists, livestock producers and processors. Research proposals 

 should be evaluated by a separate panel of scientists. The projects should 

 contain funding for 3-5 years to aid continuity. (It would we reasonable for 

 some participating states to share in the cost of these projects by 

 contributing state money to the pool of resources going into the competitive 

 grant program even if their scientists do not compete for the research funds.) 

 This system would most likely channel research funds into the geographical 

 areas where a coDunodity is important and to scientists or institutions that 

 show excellence in the needed research. All research advances should be made 

 immediately available to all cooperating institutions. This process would 

 lessen the need for every state to have expertise in each livestock area 

 through pooling of funds for research and scientific expertise. 



For plant research, I do not recoimnend any particular dramatic change in 

 the priority setting, planning, or conduct of research. 



Finally, I do not recommend extensive micro -management of research in 

 the USDA research agencies or SAES system. Clearly, all research institutions 

 need some clearly stated general objectives and some financial rewards for 

 productivity toward meeting these objectives, but it is very easy for 

 institutional rewards to be distorted so that they kill creativity and 

 long term productivity. The private sector has generally found that rewarding 

 contributions to profit works well, but many other schemes are unsuccessful. 



