COSA Roundtable 2007: Biofuels in a Community Context: Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects of Production

An Event at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings: https://www.acsmeetings.org/.

Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA)

What is the definition of “Sustainable Biofuels Production”? How do we measure sustainability? The goal of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA) Annual Roundtable event, on Monday, November 5th at 6 pm in the Marriott, Blaine Kern (CD) is to answer these questions and more! The event, entitled Biofuels in a Community Context: Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects, will identify the many aspects of soil conservation, policy, and the local economy that biofuels production can impact.

Roundtable panelists, Rob Mitchell, Research Agronomist; Jason Hill, Research Economist; Susan Andrews, Ecologist; Kelly King, Biofuels Entrepreneur; and Julie Sibbing, Conservation Policy Expert will present their perspectives on these aspects and suggest sustainability criteria to assess sustainable biofuel production. Please join us at the COSA Annual Roundtable on Monday evening for this exciting event!

Event Agenda:

• 6:00 Cash bar and Networking Reception
• 6:30 Introductory Remarks on the Opportunities for Localized Biofuel Production and Panelists
• 6:45 Panelist Presentation of the many Aspects of Biofuel Production
• 8:00 Panel Discussion and Development of Sustainability Criteria
• 8:30 Adjourn

More about the Panelists:

Rob Mitchell, Agronomist
Soil and Crop Management Systems to Sustain Agricultural Production and Environmental Quality in the Northern Great Plains
Improved Plants and Production Practices for Grasslands and Biomass Crops in the Mid-Continental Usa
Switchgrass for Biomass: Farm Scale Production Practices Affect Feedstock Costs and Quantities in the Northern Great Plains

Jason Hill, Economist
Corn Can't Solve Our Problem
Senate Ag. Committee Testimony on the Northern Plains Priorities for the Farm Bill
Carbon-Negative Biofuels from Low-Input High-Diversity Grassland Biomass

Susan Andrews, Ecologist
Soil Quality Assessment Framework
White Paper: Crop Residue for Biomass Energy Production
Webcast: Responsible Harvest of Crop Residue for Biomass Energy Production

Kelly King, Biofuels Entrepreneur
Pacific Biodiesel
Revolution Green a documentary.
Why Biodiesel?

Julie Sibbing, Conservation Policy
Bio-energy Policy and Wildlife
Senate Ag. Committee Testimony on Conservation Title of 2007 Farm Bill
Innovation for the Next Generation of Biofuels

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A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
American Society of Agronomy
Crop Science Society of America
Soil Science Society of America
American Society of Agronomy - Division 8 Integrated Agricultural Systems,
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
USDA National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education,
USDA Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

COSA Committee Minutes 10/10/07

Called to order at 9:04am Pacific

Participants: Kim Leval, Julie Dawson, Michelle, Kelly King, Julie Sibbing, Diana Jerkins, Jane Sooby, Pat Carr, Caron Gala, Jason Hill, Susan Andrews

1. Introductions and welcome

2. Interim Chair – Michelle will help as interim Chair until the end of the year; RE: Recruitment of new Chair – Michelle/Caron will send out the duties of the Chair so folks who might be interested will know what is expected.

3. Membership from Sustainable Agriculture Community – Kim is talking with the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC)and Center for Rural Affairs about joining COSA; also OFRF is considering joining

Kim outlined the interest in becoming a division
Pat outlined some of the changes in consideration of divisions for example forming an organic division
Div. meeting for A8 on Wed. at 11am - room 210 at the Convention Center
Michelle will announce the A8 meeting with S3 via email; Pat will send announcement to Michelle
COSA business meeting 9am on Monday, Marriott, Magnolia Room 208

4. Roundtable – Jerry Glover not able to come. Jason Hill will be speaking to perennials and biomass. Speakers went over their topics. Topics to be covered: switchgrass, perennials and diversity, effects of residue removal and carbon sequestration, sustainable biofuels production and impact on rural communities and local economies, wildlife implications, policy implications.

-Panelists will develop a short paragraph (1/2 page) to describe what they will be speaking to; please send to cgala@agronomy.org
-Funding and logistics: With Jerry not coming and not being replaced we will have a total of $2,500 in expenses for speaker travel and $800 left over to use for whatever the Committee decides. Julie Sibbing needs assistance with on-line registration and housing. We went over the logistics and how to register and how to get housing. Kim recommended http://www.hotwire.com/ for hotel rooms at the last minute.
-Structure of the roundtable – we will have panelists speak for 15 minutes each and then there will be questions and a discussion; panelists should send a short paragraph - motion passed to make this schedule change. Caron will send out a new agenda to the panelists and the COSA committee. Caron will send out the full list of questions in case we need them to jump start discussion with larger group.

****panelists signed off

5. $800 to allocate: We will use that money to pay for food and a no-host bar. We will not have powerpoint capability available but handouts are fine.

6. Expenses – Panelists need to turn in their expenses and form right after the annual meeting and the forms – Caron Gala is the contact for this.

7. Caron will ask OFRF if they will contribute to COSA for food for the reception

8. Kim will send her files to Caron for archives

9. Michelle and Julie will work out the facilitation of the meeting over email

10. Michelle will handle the agenda for the COSA business meeting over email.
Agenda items:
-Elect new leadership
-Nominations
-annual report
-funding
-becoming a division

Call closed at 10:34am Pacific.

Notes submitted by Kim Leval

Oct 1st Conference call notes

Dear COSA –

On our last conference call, Oct 1st we discussed the funding situation for our November Roundtable. The following recommendations were made and action items planned:

1. Caron will step in as Presiding Officer for the Roundtable in place of Kim
2. Julie Dawson will do the intro and welcome
3. Kim will seek a Chair to be her replacement (in process)
4. We recommend that we not cover the registration costs for our panelists; but only travel
5. We recommend that we not provide food for the reception unless we raise more money


Please respond if you are not in agreement with the recommendations #4 and #5 no later than Monday, Oct 8th by noon Pacific (3pm Eastern).

If everyone is okay with #4 and #5 I will send a message out to our panelists after noon on Monday, Oct. 8th letting them know that they will need to cover their own registration.

Also, Traci Bruckner at the Center for Rural Affairs is stepping in to help as I transition to my new job. She will be the contact at the Center should you need to reach someone there. Thank you all! Kim


NOTE: I am taking a new position with Rural Development Initiatives, Inc. based in Eugene, Oregon. My last day with the Center is October 16, 2007. After that time you can leave a voicemail at 541-683-5066 for personal business. For matters related to the Center for Rural Affairs please contact Traci Bruckner at 402-687-2103 extension 1016
Kim Leval, Senior Policy Analyst
Rural Policy Program
Center for Rural Affairs
My Home mailing address:
PO Box 10836
Eugene, OR 97440
Ph: (541) 687-1490 (this number will be disconnected soon)
Fax: (541)686-1380 (soon to be disconnected)
Email: kimleval@qwest.net (new personal email: tiakim1@yahoo.com)
CLICK HERE to join the National Rural Action Network
Values. Worth. Action.

COSA August call minutes

Notes from COSA Committee call with biofuel roundtable panelists
August, 22, 2007
Notes submitted by Kim Leval (please send her any additions or corrections)

Present on call: Caron Gala, Julie Dawson, Jason Hill, Kim Leval, Kim Kroll, Jerry Glover, Kelly King, Diana Jerkins, Susan Andrews, Pat Carr

Agenda:
Review the Roundtable Event
Discussion about the panel and logistics
Fundraising and travel expenses

1. Review of Event

Kim gave an overview of the roundtable event and the model and what to expect; also reviewed the agenda and timeline for the event

2. Introductions of panelists:

Julie Sibbing – National Wildlife Federation; impact of biofuel production on wildlife

Jason Hill – University of MN; different perennial systems

Susan Andrews – NRCS/Soil quality; Effect of corn residue removal on soil functions; conservation practices that could mitigate

Jerry Glover - At the Land Institute - Diverse perennial systems; soil ecology; yields of materials; long term viability of these systems to have high yields

Rob Mitchell – USDA/ARS/Switchgrass in Midwest/10 different plots of switchgrass/agronomist

Kelly King, Pacific Biodiesel; community based biodiesel model; utilizing local resources; on non-profit side works with the national and international Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance


3. Shared different ideas for the panel and breakouts

Could have a breakout table with just general bio-fuels production as the topic and determining sustainability criteria across that general topic

Could have different topics with panelists assigned to a table and each table would work on criteria for that topic

Another model – in breakouts panelists introduce themselves and their work and then discuss the potential criteria and then the breakout group would discuss that set of topics and determine some criteria

Susan suggested – she would like to think about some questions and send them around to the COSA members and other panelists for discussion over email.

We all agreed with Susan’s idea and so all panelists are encouraged to develop their questions and send them around to the group for input and discussion.

We can have a free-range email discussions and then as the list of questions become more developed we can post them to our COSA blog and invite comments and more discussion; this blog discussion could be on-going and provide a record of the conversations.

The blog can be found at www.cosagroup.blogspot.com and the username: cosagroup@gmail.com and the password: carrot

Our website is www.cosagroup.org

Kelly asked if panelists could have at least 10 minutes each. We all agreed that would be a great idea. So we are going to develop written materials on COSA and our work and the work of the COSA sub-committees that we can hand out at the reception and talk with people about at the reception. We can encourage people to pick these materials up and to join our efforts. Kim and Caron and other COSA members will work up these materials so we won’t need to take time at the beginning of the session and that will allow more time for panelists.

A draft and revised agenda for the roundtable might look like this: (this also depends on how long we have use of the room)

Monday, November 5th

Meet with panelists at the room at 5pm to prepare
5:50 –Reception begins (COSA handouts are passed out to each person attending as they enter the room)
6:20 – Welcome and introduction of panelists
6:25 - Panel – 6 panelists speak on a diversity of topics related to biofuel production in a community context
7:25 – Summarize Objectives for break-outs
7:30 – Breakout into Discussion groups by topic area
8:15 – Reconvene and discuss sustainability criteria
8:35 – Adjourn

Kelly suggested that the COSA members who will be assisting each of the panelists be identified. That COSA member will help them at the event and assist them as we go forward – think of it like a buddy system! So, let’s identify who will be the buddies for each of our panelists.

4. A word from our sponsors…
Diana and Kim Kroll – WSARE, National SARE and CSREES co-sponsoring this session; right in line with what they like to see; interdisciplinary discussions within scientific societies
Pat Carr, A-8 Integrated Agricultural Systems Division of the American Society of Agronomy

5. Travel and Logistics
Susan Andrews – indicated she does not need travel funds
Kim and Caron are working to raise funds to cover panelist travel and registration fees.
Everyone needs to register for the meeting and we will work to reimburse as much of the costs as possible. Call or email Kim for more details about reimbursements, etc. We usually reimburse at the end of the event; save all your receipts and then there is a form and then those expenses are turned in and reimbursed within a month (think December).


6. Funders
Farm Aid (Kelly King will be at Farm Aid – get application to her by Friday to speak with Annie Nelson (Willie Nelson’s daughter) – both Kim and Kelly will be at the Farm Aid concert on Sept. 9th in New York and will try and meet up. On the 10th at the Hard Rock Café in NYC there will be a fundraising rock concert for the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (Kim will try and get more details from Kelly and might be able to attend).
Kim and Caron are submitting a proposal to the Farm Foundation today to help with the costs. Kim will take this proposal and turn it around into the Farm Aid format and get that to Kelly so she can take it to Annie Nelson this Friday.

Adjourned at 10:52am Pacific






Kim Leval, Senior Policy Analyst
Rural Policy Program
Center for Rural Affairs
PO Box 10836
Eugene, OR 97440
Ph: (541) 687-1490 Cell: 402-870-0658
Fax: (541)686-1380
Email: kimleval@qwest.net
CLICK HERE to join the National Rural Action Network
Values. Worth. Action.

correction to July minutes

One correction to the July conference call minutes:

where it says "Joseph expressed interest in doing some type of COSA event that explores organic philosophy and sociology and joins with...." it should read - "joins with the SSSA committee called the Council on History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Soil Science."

July 6, 2007 COSA Conference Call Minutes

COSA Minutes – July 6, 2007

Present on call: Kim Leval, Chair; Walter Goldstein; Julie Dawson; Frank Kutka; Joseph Heckman; Kathleen Delate; Caron Gala

1. Announcements
- plant and animal breeding subcommittee meeting after this conf. call briefly to discuss subcommittee purpose
- check out website for new updates
- question about lobbying – can we lobby on behalf of COSA? Can we do a research fly-in
- Kathleen met with Harkin about COSA farm bill priorities as a private individual
-Minutes from May approved; no COSA meeting in June
-Events – SAC info for Summer meetings

2. Status of Roundtable Speakers
-Jerry Glover/Land Institute – how much $ does he need? Caron will contact
-Susan Andrews – already at the meeting; no funds needed
- Rob Mitchell – already at the meeting; no funds needed
- Jason Hill – needs around $750
-Julie Sibbing - needs around $550
-Kelly King - needs $1,000 to $1,200

3. Review of Roundtable
-Questions – We have three questions that the full group needs to review.

4. Fundraising update for Roundtable speaker travel and other
-Dianna Jerkins – funding from CSREES national program - $1,000
-Kim is working with Phil R. at WSARE – funding forthcoming, amount unknown at this time
-Kathleen is contacting Organic Valley and Pioneer
-Caron will ask Farm Foundation for donation

5. Discuss Tri –Societies Structure and COSA
-Division status means that we would have formal status and a budget for symposiums or speakers and we would have representation on the Tri Societies (one of the societies) board
-Cons – restrictions on our policy priorities? How would our goals mesh with the larger organization.
- We’d likely fit under ASA and we could have a seat on their board
- How does our becoming a division compliment or duplicate what A8 is doing?
- Kim will ask Pat Carr about COSA becoming a division

6. Review Possibilities for Events 2008 annual meeting
-discussed that we need a call to specifically plan ahead for 2008 and 2009
- We need a special COSA call to talk about 2008 and 2009 meetings and planning ahead for funding for workshops, symposium, speakers, etc. The 2008 meeting is in Houston, TX Oct. 5-9 and the 2009 meeting will be held in Pittsburgh, PA Nov. 1-5 Joseph expressed interest in doing some type of COSA event that explores organic philosophy and sociology and joins with other societies (sociological society?) for the 2009 Tri Societies meeting in PA.
-We talked about doing a workshop on participatory research methods with help from Laurie Drinkwater

7. Action Items
-send out SAC mtg info
-Caron will contact Jerry Glover about speaker funding
-Caron will send Kim the list of 3 questions and then Kim will send out to full committee for input
-Kim will send out the list of last year’s funders
-Kim will talk with Pat Carr about COSA possibly becoming a Division and how that will impact A8 and other Divisions
-Caron will find out what the process is for becoming a Division
-Kim and Joseph will work on making connections with the Animal Science Society and the folks who were at the ICL training about 4 or 5 years ago
- Kim will set up a special COSA call to talk about 2008 and 2009 meetings and planning ahead for funding for workshops, symposium, speakers, etc.
-Kathleen will try to contact Laurie Drinkwater through one of her interns that is working in Iowa this summer.
-Sub-Committee for Public Plant and Animal Breeding – will be meeting via telephone on the 9th or the 10th of July to discuss the new subcommittee and its work. Julie Dawson will set up the call and Walter and Frank will join it and Kim too.

Minutes Full Committee- May 2007

May 24th 2007
Full Committee
Announcements (3 min) - None
Approval of minutes - Yeah

Discussion about COSA plans for our incoming Chair -
Please contact Kim (kimleval@qwest.com) if you are interested in being chair.

Status of Farm Bill
Please see COSA Policy and Outreach Subcommittee Minutes

Announcements for events
- None

Status of Speakers for Roundtable
Please contact the speaker that you previously contacted.
Invited Speakers:
Confirmed to attend:

• Duane Hovorka, National Wildlife Federation;
• Jason Hill, U of MN – with Tilman group;
• Susan Andrews (already going to the meeting), NRCS/Soil quality;
• Jerry Glover (already going to be at meeting), Greenlands/Bluewaters/Land Institute;
• Rob Mitchell (already going to be at meetings), USDA/ARS/Switchgrass in Midwest/10 different plots of switchgrass/agronomist;
• Kelly King, Pacific Biodiesel, Inc/Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance

Review of Roundtable
a. Questions for speakers – what do we have so far?
3 Questions so far - Caron will send out an email inquiring about additional questions
Patrick Carr of A-8 may have some suggestions
b. Breakout format review

Fundraising update for Roundtable Speaker Travel
5. Sponsorship of A-8 – Pat Carr would like to know what would we like A-8 to do in their co-sponsorship of our biofuels roundtable?

Sub-Committee reports (5-10 min)
Outreach Chair - Caron Gala
Systems Research & Participatory research Combined - Michelle Wander and Stefan Seiter
Plant and animal breeding - Julie Dawson and Kim Leval

New website, blog and other improvements in outreach and communication
- See the letter to the editor in Crops and Soils Magazine!

Discuss Tri-Societies Structure and COSA
How would Division status combined with Committee status?

• It would be useful for COSA to keep Committee status so that non-members can be part of COSA
• Tri-societies platforms are not reflecting COSA interests. Sustainable and Organic Agriculture need more exposure to leadership in the Tri-Society Structure.
• Alex Avery Piece pointed out the information gap, along with some provisions of the farm bill priority platforms.
• Do we have access to the minutes from the Executive committees and the Society Presidents?
• Some influencial supporters of COSA (Tom Sims, John Duran, Jim Coors, etc.)
• What is COSA's strenghts in the Tri-Society Structure?

Action Items!!!
Review of decisionmakers and how decisions are made within the Tri Societies
· Executive Committee (all presidents)
· Society Presidents
· Society Boards
- Caron email questions to COSA, poster, talk to Ian.

- Kim resend invite letter to everyone.

- Everyone! Use fundraising letter to contact at least 2 people!

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Policy and Outreach Committee: June 2007 Call

Discussion:

1. Touching base with the USDA Administration

• Dr. Gail Buchanan and Dr. Colleen Heffernan were briefed about Organics


• Ferd Hoefner (Policy Director for the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition) & Brise Tencer (Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists Food & Environment Program) talked with Buchanan/Heffernan.


• The Government Accounting Office has been asked by Senator Harkin's staff to perform a study that evaluates spending on classical plant and animal breeding in the U.S.


• Economic Reserach Service (USDA/ERS) defined the mechanisms for policy makers on the conservation of Plant Genetic Resources.

2. IFAFS (Sec. 401) in the New Farmbill

• Monies "Transferred" to National Research Iniative - with 30% of NRI being "IFAFS" like.
• Any increases in NRI come from the IFAFS program and it was/is mandated to be "integrated".


• Options for Action: Letter to Key administrators about the importance of integrated programs.
• Question: Does COSA have the authority under the tri-societies to do something like that or does it need to go through Karl?

3. Integrated Programs (Section 406) in new Farm Bill

4. Sustainable Ag and Organic Research Platform (SAC).

USDA research programs have not kept pace with the growth of organic agriculture in the marketplace. Although organic currently represents about 3 percent of total U.S. food retail market, the share of USDA research targeted to organic agriculture and marketing only
represents 0.6% annually. A coordinated strategy for scaling-up organic agricultural research,
outreach and development should provide a mixture of funding methods and programs to
gradually achieve an overall “fair share” spending total of approximately $120 million/year.
This should include $15 million mandatory funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and
Extension Initiative competitive grant program that funds research and extension projects to meet the production, marketing and policy needs of the growing organic industry. Classical plant and animal breeding should be listed as one of the priorities for competitive research grants under the National Research Initiative, as public resources for classical plant and animal breeding have dwindled, causing limited access to germplasm and the diversity of seed variety and animal reed development that organic and sustainable farmers depend upon. Adequate funding should be allocated to expand the Organic Production and Marketing Data Initiative which requires USDA to collect and publish segregated organic data to meet the needs of organic producers, processors, and consumers.

Other programs to keep an eye on.

- Integrated Organic Programs

- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

- Agricultural Systems

- ATTRA

Action Items

- COSA letter for sign-on for Farm Bill Research platform? - Article in CSA News that would motivate a larger audience? Identify leaders to join in our efforts?
- Talking points and call in from Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (Senate) - Check out the SAC weekly updates!

Call in Asks:

1. National Organic Certification Cost-Share ($5 Million/yr. mandatory funding.)
2. Organic Conversion Stewardship Incentives ($50 Million/yr. mandatory funding, equal
split for financial and technical assistance.)
3. Fair Share for Organic Research (at least $15 Million/yr. mandatory funding for Organic
Research and Extension grants; amend the National Research Initiative to include
classical plant and animal breeding; adequate funding for organic data collection.)
4. Crop Insurance Equity for Organic (remove 5% surcharge and allow for organic price
payouts).
5. Conservation Security Program (full mandatory funding and integrated application for
organic producers.)

April 2007 COSA conference call minutes

Notes from – COSA conference call– 4/26/07

Present – Caron, Kim, Kathleen, Stephan, Diana F, Diana J, Kim Kroll, Phil, Karl G., Walter G., Joseph Heckman

1. Announcements –

a. Status of Letter to CROPS and SOILS
-Joseph Heckman letter submitted to editor (Matt Nillson, Managing Editor) last week, those signing on were sent a copy

b. Farm Bill update
Kim Kroll gave an update from SARE Ops meeting about farm bill
USDA farm bill language – administration proposal to consolidate
CREATE 21
NIFA
Gale Buchanan
Ag committees preparing May 1 draft due date for bill language – energy, conservation, research
Trying to get public plant and animal breeding in House Bill (Holden and Peterson) – Kim will send action alert to COSA

2. Status of Speakers for Roundtable
Confirmed to attend: Duane Hovorka, National Wildlife Federation; Jason Hill, U of MN – with Tilman group; Susan Andrews (already going to the meeting), NRCS/Soil quality; Jerry Glover (already going to be at meeting), Greenlands/Bluewaters/Land Institute; Rob Mitchell (already going to be at meetings), USDA/ARS/Switchgrass in Midwest/10 different plots of switchgrass/agronomist; Kelly King, Pacific Biodiesel, Inc/Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance

3. Format of Roundtable
a. Are we wanting discussion? Speakers with breakouts? Do we want to give more time to speakers? Idea to have each panelists to give a short presentation, then moderator gives the speakers questions for them to answer. We could do speakers and then breakouts. We could do short intro by each person and the topic they will be discussing– then do massive breakout 45 minutes with COSA member questions to help with breakout discussions with Speakers; then we’d come back together and do a report back/Q and A/wrap up.
b. Do we need speaker abstracts? Abstracts due Monday
c. Blurb for COSA roundtable– do we need something for the annual meetings book and the newsletter
d. Kim and Caron will work on a write up on the format and get that to the speakers; and will include a formal invitation to speakers

4. Fundraising for Roundtable Speaker Travel
a. Kim and Caron will write a letter requesting assistance (using last year’s letter)
b. Send letter to all COSA members
c. OFRF, Organic Trade Association, General Mills/Small Planet Foods
d. National SARE – we can pass letter to Jill
e. Organic Consumers Association

5. Organization of Subcommittee meetings to start planning future events
a. Who are subcommittee chairs?
Systems research subcommittee – Michelle, Chair
Plant and Animal Breeding Subcommittee – Kim and Julie, co-chairs
Participatory Research Subcommittee – Stephan, Chair
Subcommittee on Outreach – Caron, Chair
b. Chairs should contact folks for calls this month (April/May)

6. Ian Popkewitz and Elizabeth Tucker will be on the call to discuss web related activities to release information on COSA and COSA documents
a. Website – Ian can update and add things to website; suggests we add a mission button and then have refreshed content on homepage; this needs to change often; people look for new info; on google you can work your site up to the top if you have new info; we can go through Caron and get stuff to her for the website and she’ll get it to Ian. We need a link to the Tri Societies – Ian will add COSA to the affiliates link (on Agronomy, Crop and Soils); need to update our committee members with Susan Chapman so that we can have a correct list up on our website. Can we get an automatic news update link to our website. We’d like to post our poster and have a place where people can give feedback and comment. Don’t make widipedia our main repository for our data. What would we need to create a forum on our website about the poster.
b. Blog – blog we can update ourselves; running journal includes history
c. Other Venues – Wikipedia? Or other press or information portals. – can find just about anything (not peer reviewed); Wikipedia is tough on image posting; text is easier. Might be better to use it as an advertising spot…
d. A-9 –professional practitioners (certification) became a division – the question was posed by Joseph Heckman wondering if we should become a division. Joseph wondered if that would raise our status. Maybe we could create a division and keep the COSA committee. Several divisions have close working relationships (A5, S11 often joint programs); Divisions get their funding by how many papers are presented. We work jointly with A8.

7. Review action – items
-Kim will forward Seed and Breed Action Alert to all (done)
-Kim will ask Linda Nelson and Sara Uttech about what and when we need speaker bios for abstract for our roundtable (or if we need them); blurb to advertise our event in the annual meetings guidebook
-Ask Kathleen Delate to contact Susan Chapman to update our committee list on database and then on website
-Caron will email all about subcommittee participation
-Ask Julie Dawson to email all about submitting questions for breakouts with biofuel speakers
-Kim will draft fundraising letter
- Caron will draft speaker invite letter with outline of roundtable format
- Caron will write article for CSA news for June issue
-Caron will work with Ian and Beth to get our systems poster up on website
-Ask Joseph Heckman to draft up an article on our roundtable event for the fall newsletter…

Organic Crop insurance and data collection

The USDA currently does not collect market data specific to organic agriculture. Without comprehensive market data from the Economic Research Service, crop insurance companies charge a 5% premium on organic acres while offering only market rate payouts. The Organic Trade Association, among other industry groups, cited market data as their top priority for the 2007 Farm Bill in a April 24 hearing before the Senate Committee of Agriculture , Forestry, and Nutrition.

COSA Poster (2006)

Soil Science Society of America Past President, Dr. John Havlin views poster at 2006 Annual Meetings in Indianapolis, IN.

The poster developed from the breakout sessions during the Committee on Organic and Sustainable Agriculture (COSA) Annual Roundtable (2006).

Systems Research: Challenges and Oppurtunities

Managing complexity in systems research

i. Managing multiple perspectives

ii. Identify windows of interest rather than boundaries

iii. Changing systems to maintain multiple perspectives

iv. Mechanistic tools may not fit

Balancing Farming Integrity and Research Needs in Simulated Cropping Systems
i. Address both ecological and economic problems/ concerns

ii. Reward structure should balance quick success with long-term benefits

iii. Perform treatments on farm-relevant scales

iv. Communicate cross disciplinary approaches with example applications

v. Embrace a dynamic research model (e.g. crop sequences)

Keeping the Research Components Integrated During the Implementation Phase

i. Need a vision keeper, group capacity builder

ii. Publish process as well as research

iii. Pursue adaptive management research

iv. Need to share common vision, or commitment to solve a problem

v. Forge shared hypothesis, detailed objectives

Including Farmers as Equal Collaborators While Also Being Efficient in Using Their Time

i. Offer fair compensation for farmer’s time

ii. Clearly outline goals, objectives, and expectations

iii. Develop a project so farmers have vested interest

iv. Develop mutual respect and honor farmer knowledge

v. Respect farmer time constraints during the growing season.

Reducing the time required for meetings in interdisciplinary research

i. Use visual tools such as concept mapping

ii. Use highly qualified and motivated research staff

iii. Invest in human capacity, such as a good facilitator

iv. find the right time for collaborators

v. empower farmer and students to take responsibility for the agenda

Melding disciplines within a systems level research project

i. Encourage more merging of disciplines in school so that new faculty are accustomed to this process

ii. Since you need multiple perspectives to understand whole systems each discipline should take the time to appreciate the strengths of all the other disciplines.

Leaving Behind the Factorial Mentality in Designing Systems Experiments

i. Don’t forget factorials but use them wisely. Consider starting with systems then working backwards. Pulling out the smaller questions to use in factorials

ii. Need new sources of funding. Current examples include SARE and NRCS Innovation Grants

iii. Need alternate publications to support systems research

iv. Appreciate the synergy of systems/ narrative as science. There is still a need to use regular quantitative analysis.

Building Flexibility into Systems Level Research

i. Put a lot of time and focus into initial design and principles. If you stick to these principles, and they are strong, then fluidity will be accepted.

ii. Build on an idea of adaptive metrics (which tell us how well we are responding to the challenges presented to us by our environments.

Systems Research: Plant and Animal Breeding

Train breeders skilled in cultivar development and knowledgeable in systems thinking

• Continue to develop new cultivars
• Maintain a critical mass of students at universities with major plant breeding programs and insure that there are opportunities for training in allied disciplines
• Ensure that there are plant breeding faculty with the expertise to teach critical courses
• Explore alternative models of education for post-baccalaureate students and farmer breeders
• Reinvigorate education of international plant breeders through graduate student training and collaboration

Increase utilization of new public cultivars

• Collaborate with stakeholders in trailing new varieties, seed production, and marketing
• Develop the capacity of foundation seed and crop improvement organizations to market specialty crops and organic seed

Breed cultivars for organic and sustainable systems

• Have listening sessions with farmers to understand their needs
• Conduct on-farm trials in the target system
• Work with interested farmers on participatory breeding projects to select cultivars or improved populations
• Make breeders and policy makers aware of the importance of breeding annual and perennial cultivars adapted to complex rotation and diverse agro-ecosytems

Engage stakeholders to support plant breeding for sustainable and organic agriculture

• Develop a white paper explaining the centrality of plant breeding to sustainable systems
• Connect with sustainable agriculture organizations
• Develop materials for the popular press and general audiences