1. 2010 National Extension and Research Administrative Officers’ Conference National Institute of Food and Agriculture

2.  …that my talk will not be like the dairy farmer and the fly. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

3.  We will cover three broad areas: 1.How NIFA relates to the Land-Grant System; 2.How the Federal budget process works; and, 3.How NIFA provide funds to universities and others. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

4.  In the beginning: 1862  USDA and Land-Grants  Why they are called land-grant institutions. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

5.  USDA - May 15, 1862.  First Morrill Act of 1862.  Hatch Act of 1887.  Second Morrill Act of 1890.  Smith-Lever Act of 1914.  Equity in Educational Land-grant Status Act of 1994. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

6.  Natl. Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 - P.L. 95-113  Section 1444…1890 Extension  Section 1445…1890 Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

7.  We are USDA’s primary link to the land- grant community;  We are a financial assistance agency; and,  We are the Federal partner in collaborative and cooperative ventures in: ◦ Education ◦ Extension ◦ Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

8.  To advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well being, and communities. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

9.  Delivering in three functional areas: Higher Education ResearchExtension NIFA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

10.  130 Colleges of Agriculture, including Land- Grant Institutions;  59 Agricultural Experiment Stations;  57 Cooperative Extension Services;  63 Schools of Forestry;  27 Colleges of Veterinary Medicine;  42 Schools & Colleges of Family & Consumer Sciences;  18 1890 Universities & Tuskegee University;  34 1994 Native American Land-Grant Institutions.  Over 250 Hispanic Serving Institutions National Institute of Food and Agriculture

11.  Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities  Will come from the community of more than 250 HSIs currently accredited by the Department of Education  HSACU = HSI + degree in field related to agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture

12.  Federal Partner = USDA  State Partner = LGU’s  Local Partner = Counties (~3,100)  Ultimate Partner = American Citizens National Institute of Food and Agriculture

13.  Non-competitive ◦ Formula Funds ◦ Special Grants ◦ Administrative Grants  Competitive ◦ Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) ◦ Other competitive grant authorizations (education, extension, and facilities) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

14.  CES is the largest, and arguably the best, non-formal adult education system in the world.  Major reason for success: State and local governments decide which state and local issues to address. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

15.  USDA  MOU  States  States  MOU  Counties  Matching Dollars National Institute of Food and Agriculture

16.  Counties  Volunteers  Volunteers???? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

17. A few years ago, USDA’s Forest Service was battling a serious disease problem, “Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum ).” They needed additional trained “scouts,” but did not have the resources to get them. Solution? Extension Master Gardeners. More than100,000 of them. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

18.  4 -H: utilizes more than 3 million adult person days of volunteer assistance each year. This is equivalent to adding another federal agency that employs 11,500 people. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

19.  Question: How are 4-H kids possibly related to Urban Serving Institutes? More than half the current 6.5 million 4-H kids are suburban or urban dwellers.  And…Remember the 3 million person days of adult volunteer assistance? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

20.  Those 6.5 million kids plus millions of adults should be suggestive of what Extension would call a community of interest, but what I call a political resource: there are more than 45 million living 4-H alumni in the U.S.  That’s a voting bloc! National Institute of Food and Agriculture

21.  Do you have any questions? ? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

22.  …Jumper cable  ……Alligator  ………Grasshopper National Institute of Food and Agriculture

24.  Traditionally, the NIFA Budget Officer, Tina Buch, speaks on the federal budget process.  Unfortunately, she cannot be here, so you are stuck with me. But Tina knows many of you, and sends her regards. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

25. Timeline stays the same from year to year…usually. But as we all have seen recently, sometimes the process varies: In FY 2007, we had a full-year continuing resolution. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

26.  In 2009, we had a CR until mid-March.  The FY 2010 budget that should have become public this past February was also delayed. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

27. Appropriations…October 1 (but note that Congress doesn’t usually get this done on time. In FY 2007, we didn’t even have a full- year continuing resolution until February 15, 2007; in 2008, our appropriation was signed December 26, 2007. And in 2009, it was signed in March.) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

28.  During the spring and up until around July 4 of each year, NIFA develops input for the President’s budget request for the second year following. For example, we are currently in the spring of FY2010, and we are developing our input for the budget that will fund FY2012.  On/about July 4, we will submit our request to the Secretary of Agriculture. Note that this request will comply with OMB guidance. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

29.  OMB Passback (Late November)…often the day after Thanksgiving…this will be for FY 2012  President’s 2012 Budget due to Congress no later than the first Monday in February, 2011 National Institute of Food and Agriculture

30.  AND FINALLY (sort of*)  Appropriation hearings…February, March, April  Culminating, we hope, in an appropriation on October 1, 2010, the first day of FY 2011. * The process really never ends…Hearings on a given year are followed by Agency Estimates being due for the following year, and so on, and on, and on…. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

31.  Who are the key players in the budget process? ◦ OMB ◦ Secretary of Agriculture ◦ OBPA ◦ REE Under Secretary ◦ NIFA Director National Institute of Food and Agriculture

32.  What is the role of stakeholders in the budget process?  When can stakeholders provide input?  Why aren’t budgets larger?  Why doesn’t the NIFA budget mirror the budget recommendations of stakeholders like APLU? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

33.  Why doesn’t NIFA share all the details with its staff and stakeholders prior to the release of he budget in February? And what does it mean that the budget is “Behind the Curtain?”  What if I file a Freedom of Information Act request to get this budget information? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

34.  What are the differences among an appropriation, an authorization, and a budget resolution? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

35. ? ? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

36. A man walks into a florist shop and tells the proprietor, “I’d like 2 dozen of the beautiful anemones in your window.” The proprietor replies, “I don’t have 2 dozen of them, but I can give you 2 dozen of these lovely ferns, instead.” The customer says, “Fine… National Institute of Food and Agriculture

37.  “…with fronds like these, who needs anemones?” National Institute of Food and Agriculture

38.  FINE…WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATION…WHAT DOES NIFA DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY?  We award more than 96 percent of it to grantees. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

39.  You (or, at least, your institution.)  …and lots of other eligible persons and organizations. Eligibility varies from program to program. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

40. The mission of NIFA is to advance knowledge.  We carry out this mission by enabling others to conduct research, extension, and education activities.  So…we fund research, extension, and education programs that tend to advance knowledge in agriculture. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

41.  Competitive…Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, for example  Formula…Smith-Lever 3(b) and 3(c), for example  Congressionally Directed funding...these are the “special” projects that Congress inserts into the NIFA budget…Earmarks. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

42.  There is enough of this stuff to put you to sleep easily…but we don’t want that.  So…go to http://www.NIFA.usda.gov/ and click on “Funding Opportunities” http://www.NIFA.usda.gov/ Fine…let’s talk about a few selected programs from each type of funding. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

43.  Big example: the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative…$262 million in FY 2010.  Small example: Methyl Bromide Transition Program…$3.1 million in FY09. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

44.  Specialty Crop Research Initiative (uses mandatory funding)  Food Safety Initiative (“406 authority”)  International Science and Education Grants Program (“non-406 integrated activity.”) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

45.  Big Example…Hatch Research…$215 million in FY 2010  Small Example…Section 1433 Animal Health and Disease…$2.95 million in FY 2010. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

46. ◦ Evans-Allen Research ◦ Smith-Lever 3(b) and 3(c) ◦ Extension for 1890 Institutions ◦ McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

47.  We don’t like them, because they tend to address limited audiences, and because in a zero-sum budget environment they reduce resources for everyone else.  But once we have them, they get subjected to the same rigorous treatment as any of our other grant programs… National Institute of Food and Agriculture

48. THINK “3” National Institute of Food and Agriculture

49. 3 Partners --Federal --State --Local National Institute of Food and Agriculture

50. 3 Functions ◦ Research ◦ Education ◦ Extension National Institute of Food and Agriculture

51. 3 Types of Funding  Formula  Competitive  Earmarks National Institute of Food and Agriculture

52. Regardless of the type of program, or the means of funding, or which partners are involved, the purpose is always the same: “…to advance knowledge.” National Institute of Food and Agriculture