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
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