U.S. Agriculture Secretary Appoints USU VP of Research to National Board

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack named Utah State University Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Mark McLellan, as one of eight individuals to serve on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board.

The NAREEE Advisory Board advises the Secretary of Agriculture and land-grant colleges and universities on top national priorities and policies for food and agricultural research, education, extension and economics.

McLellan will serve on the NAREEE board as a representative for the National Food Science Organization and is a re-appointment.

“My experience on the NAREEE Board has given me an opportunity to look at critical national policies regarding agricultural research,” McLellan said. “As I enter my second term on the board we will be looking at big data opportunities, balance between public and private funding of research and open access to federally funded data — among many other issues.”

McLellan said his board experience allows him to bring an intimate understanding of how the farm bill implementation in research impacts the researchers and producers to the benefit of USU and the state of Utah and its agriculture.

“My colleagues on the board are exceptional representatives of many groups and are all passionate for a sustainable, efficient and effective agricultural production system in the United States,” said McLellan.

The NAREEE board holds stakeholder listening sessions, reviews draft guidance for competitive-grant programs, advises the Agriculture Research Service on its scientific peer review process for national programs, conducts an annual review of all agricultural research, Extension or education activities conducted or funded by the department for relevance to national priorities and adequacy of funding and advises the USDA’s Research, Education and Economics (REE) mission area in the development of its draft strategic plan.

“The board members represent a wide-variety of experience and their expertise ensures USDA and the land-grant colleges and universities are continual prepared to meet current and future challenges,” said Vilsack.

Each of the 25 NAREEE Advisory Board members represents a specific category of U.S. Agricultural stakeholders as outlined in the 2008 Food, Energy and Conservation Act, such as farming or ranching, food production and processing and forestry research, among many others.

Most recently, the NAREEE Advisory Board conducted an open, public meeting on October 21-23, 2014 in Washington, D.C. The board successfully approved a report and recommendations on the balance of crop research and held an extensive discussion on the annual relevancy and adequacy review of the REE programs and activities.

For additional information, please contact Michele Esch, Executive Director, REE Advisory Board Office, Room 332A, Whitten Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 3401, Washington, DC 20250-0321, Telephone: 202-720-3684, Fax: 202-720-6199, or e-mail: michele.esch@ars.usda.gov.

Contact: United States Department of Agriculture Office of Communications, 201-720-4623