Federal Register: April 1, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 61)
DOCID: fr01ap09-21 FR Doc E9-7252
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture Department
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr01ap09-21
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of public comment period for written stakeholder input.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders on the Roadmap for Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension
DATES: All written comments must be received by 5 p.m. EST, May 31, 2009, to be considered.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Research, Education, and Extension Office (REEO) of the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting written stakeholder input on the preparation of a roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension at USDA. The preparation of the Roadmap is mandated by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008. By this notice, the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics has been designated to act on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) in soliciting public comment from interested parties regarding the preparation of the Roadmap.
SUMMARY:
Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders on the Roadmap for Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Additional Comment Procedures
Information on the REEO and Roadmap is available for review at http://www.ree.usda.gov. Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. EST, May 31, 2009, to be considered. All comments, when they become available, may be reviewed on the REE Web page for six months. Background and Purpose
The preparation of the roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension is mandated in section 7504 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008, (Pub. L. 110246, 7 U.S.C. 7614a. The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Education (Under Secretary), will prepare the Roadmap. The Secretary will implement and use the Roadmap to set the agricultural research, education, and extension agenda of the Department of Agriculture.
The Under Secretary is also the Chief Scientist for USDA,
responsible for the coordination of the research, education, and
extension activities of the Department. [7 U.S.C. 6971(c)]. The
Research, Education, and Extension Office (REEO) recently organized
within the Office of the Under Secretary is the office that provides
such coordination, per 7 U.S.C.
The Roadmap will identify current trends and constraints and major opportunities and gaps that no single entity within the Department of Agriculture would be able to address individually. Stakeholder input is encouraged on any and all aspects of the development and implementation of the Roadmap, including responses to the following questions:
1. What types of current and future critical issues (including those affecting citizens, communities and natural resources) does agriculture face that no USDA entity could address individually?
2. What criteria should USDA use to prioritize agricultural science (i.e., research, education, and extension) investments to address these issues?
3. How might USDA better coordinate agricultural sciences among its various agencies and with its partners?
4. What are some examples where agricultural sciences are successfully coordinated for maximum benefit? Why are they successful?
5. What are some examples where agricultural sciences are not coordinated effectively? Why is coordination lacking? What are the barriers?
6. What else might USDA do to improve coordination of science; enhance USDA's ability to identify issues and prioritize investments; and elevate its role in science implementation and coordination? Implementation Plans
The Under Secretary and the REEO plan to consider stakeholder input received from written comments in developing the Roadmap. The Secretary will make the Roadmap available to the public, with an expected publication date of not later than September 16, 2009.
Done at Washington, DC, this 4th day of March, 2009. Katherine Smith,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Michele Simmons, (202) 720-1777 (phone), (202) 6901677 (fax), or Roadmap@osec.usda.gov.