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9. Describe briefly the grassroots planning of research priorities. 



This question was answered in detail in the supplemental testimony submitted for the record 

 at the time of our oral presentation. It is included as Attachment 1. 



This statement shows that inputs at the county, state and national level are sought on a 

 continuing basis in planning and evaluating research priorities and in the advocacy of 

 resources identified with the needs and objectives. The process is not perfect, but the 

 involvement is growing. Because of the great regionality (site specificity) of the industries 

 we serve, translating grass-roots input into national strategy is challenging but achievable, 

 based on our experience. 



10. How are you including "cross-cutting " programs such as basic plant and animal science 

 research and environmental science research in your strategic plan? 



Implicit in this question is the assumption that the disciplinary mix of science to accompUsh 

 research objectives is embedded across the six major areas of the ESCOP-CSRS Strategic 

 Plan and in the seventeen initiatives grouped under these areas. This is the case. In 

 addition, the resources segment of the plan identifies the science years and cost of 

 implementing each research objective. We are in the process of more expUcitly defining the 

 kind of science mix needed to achieve the goals of our plan. 



The ESCOP Planning Subcommittee recognized a need to develop what we came to call the 

 "Science Dimension" to our joint plan with CSRS about a year ago. The purpose is to 

 provide a means of more effectively communicating with the broad science commimity 

 within our land grant universities and to display our current and future programs in a 

 context that will be imderstood by federal funding agencies outside USDA. 



We are in the process of translating the "outcome oriented" elements of our present 

 planning process into terms describing the science required to achieve the stated goals. The 

 descriptors for the science dimension are those used by the National Science Foundation 

 in their reporting of federally funded grants and contracts. 



We anticipate developing this document as part of the quadrennial update of the ESCOP- 

 CSRS plan, which is being developed at this time. We believe this will offer a better 

 possibility to communicate in another dimension both in the academic conrniunity and with 

 federal granting agencies. 



11. Describe contract granting research which you mentioned in your testimony. 



The State Agricultural Experiment Stations are immediately responsive to emergency or 

 short term lurgent needs that arise within states. They are closely coupled to policy and 



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