[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 141 (Monday, July 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37980-37992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18462]



[[Page 37979]]


_______________________________________________________________________

Part III





Department of Agriculture





_______________________________________________________________________



Agricultural Research Service



_______________________________________________________________________



Agricultural Research Services' Strategic Plan; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 141 / Monday, July 22, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 37980]]


Agricultural Research Service


ARS Strategic Plan

AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Request for Comments on the Agricultural Research Services' 
Draft Strategic Plan.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Research Service, in compliance with the 
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-62), 
has developed a five year strategic plan covering Fiscal Years 1998 to 
2002. The proposed ARS Draft Strategic Plan presents the work of the 
Agency against five broad societal outcomes and twelve general goals/
initiatives, most of the latter are taken, verbatim, from Section 801 
``Purposes of Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education'' of the 
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-
127). When finalized, the ARS Strategic Plan will be supplemented by 
one or more implementation plans that will link, in greater detail, the 
scientific work of the Agency to this plan. Within the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has 
been given lead responsibility for securing Departmental, Congressional 
and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review of Subagency plans. 
Each agency is responsible for securing input from its employees, 
customers, stakeholders, and partners. The finalized Strategic Plan 
will take effect on October 1, 1997. The ARS Draft Strategic Plan can 
also be found, electronically, on the ARS Home Page on Internet (http:/
/www.ars.usda.gov).

DATES: Comments on the ARS Draft Strategic Plan must be submitted, in 
writing or electronically, to the addresses shown below by August 21, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit comments to David A. Rust, 
Program Planning Advisor, Agricultural Research Service, Building 005, 
Room 112, 10300 Baltimore Road, Beltsville, Maryland 20705; FAX to 301-
504-6191; or electronically [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David A. Rust, Program Planning Advisor, Agricultural Research Service, 
Building 005, Room 112, 10300 Baltimore Road, Beltsville, Maryland 
20705; FAX 301-504-6191; electronically [email protected]; or telephone 
301-504-6233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ARS is the principal in-house research 
agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Fiscal Year 1996, ARS 
received an appropriations from Congress of $710 million which 
supported 1,200 research projects at 104 locations involving 
approximately 1,950 scientists.

    Dated: July 11, 1996.
Robert J. Reginato,
Associate Administrator.

Contents

Background

Introduction
Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, and Values
Key External Factors
Key Internal Factors
Customers, Beneficiaries, Stakeholders, and Partners

Strategic Plan

ARS Outcomes, General Goals, Explanatory Statements, Specific Goals, 
Program Activities, and Performance Measures
    Outcome 1. An agricultural production system that is highly 
competitive in the global economy
    Outcome 2. A safe and secure food and fiber system
    Outcome 3. A healthy and properly nourished population
    Outcome 4. Greater harmony between agriculture and the 
environment
    Outcome 5. Enhanced economic opportunity and quality of life for 
farmers, ranchers, rural citizens and communities
Initiatives, Explanatory Statements, Specific Initiatives, Program 
Activities, and Performance Measures
    Initiative 1. Support Education
    Initiative 2. National Agricultural Library
    Initiative 3. Creative Leadership
ARS Resource Summary
ARS Customer Pledge

Background

Introduction

ARS Approach to GPRA
    Since 1983, ARS has developed as series of multiyear strategic 
plans to help guide development and management of the agency's work. In 
1993, the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 
103-62, was enacted. It seeks to make all Federal departments and 
agencies more accountable to Congress and the U.S. taxpayers. The ARS 
Strategic Plan, covering fiscal years 1998-2002, was developed in 
accordance with the GPRA requirements.
    In the spring of 1994, the agency established a work group to study 
how best to implement GPRA within ARS. After completion of the work 
group's report, ARS undertook an extensive outreach effort to gain 
individual input from a broad cross section of the agency's customers, 
stakeholders, and partners. This visioning process consisted of a pilot 
conference in January 1995, followed by five regional conferences held 
in June and July of 1995. The conferences brought together over 400 
participants who worked in more than 30 breakout groups to provide 
individual input regarding:
     The key forces that will influence American agriculture 
during the next 20 to 25 years.
     How these changes will affect agricultural research.
     More specifically how ARS should respond to these changes.
    Using input and information gathered from this process ARS 
identified 10 major issue areas that will affect agriculture and 
agricultural research over the next 25 years:
International/Global Issues
     Competition will increase for international markets and 
resources.
     International trade and treaties will influence the 
profitability of U.S. agriculture.
     The political climate in foreign nations will impact U.S. 
agriculture.
Population/Demographics Issues
     Growth in world population will increase demand for food, 
fiber, energy, and land.
Environmental Issues
     Resource competition among agricultural and industrial 
users.
     Need to address current and potential environmental 
pollution.
     Impact of pesticide and herbicide use.
     Ecosystem management.
     Maintaining biological and genetic diversity.
Sustainability of Production Systems Issues
     Need to respond to changes in biological resistance 
(resistance to pesticides).
     Need to address environmental restrictions to expand the 
range where plants can grow in response to changes in climate and other 
circumstances.
Economic Issues
     The profitability of U.S. agriculture is impacted by the 
cost of labor, the transportation and distribution of foods, and the 
quantity of food versus its price.
     The concern over the federal deficit will continue to 
impact agricultural subsidy programs.
     The trend in U.S. agriculture is a shift from family farms 
to agribusiness/corporate farms.
Government and Political Issues
     Budget constraints are changing the relationship between 
the federal, state, and private sectors.

[[Page 37981]]

     Changes in demographics are resulting in decreased 
political influence for the agriculture community.
     There is a declining knowledge of agriculture among 
agricultural policy makers.
     There is concern about the type of regulations, their 
interpretation, and the resulting increase in litigation.
     Maintaining a safe and secure food supply will continue to 
be a critical element of national security.
Consumer/Societal Issues
     Consumers changing preferences, their needs and 
expectations for food security, and their demands for better quality of 
life will impact U.S. agriculture.
     U.S. agriculture needs to increase acceptance of new 
technologies and new products among consumers and to allay their fears 
of science and technology.
     Consumer perceptions and concerns over bioethics and 
animal welfare will impact U.S. agriculture.
Food and Health Issues
     Issues concerning nutrition, disease prevention, and food 
security will influence U.S. food production.
--Food security issues encompass food safety, quantity, and quality.
     Changing dietary consumption patterns will impact U.S. 
food production.
Technological Advancement Issues
     Some of the key technological issues influencing U.S. 
agriculture are:

--Information and communication technology
--New uses of food and fiber and non-food uses of agriculture products
--Development of new production and delivery systems
--Intellectual property rights

     The concern over ethics of biotechnology and genetic 
engineering will influence the development of new U.S. technology and 
its implementation.
Education and Information Issues
     Education programs need to be developed to address the 
following issues that influence the American public.
--The environment
--The economy
--Technology
--Nutrition, food and health
--Science and agriculture

    In analyzing the input and information gathered at the five 
conferences, nine major roles were identified for ARS in meeting the 
research needs of the next 25 years. The nine roles are as follows: 
provide leadership in the agricultural research agenda; strengthen 
relationships with ARS partners; educate and relate to consumers and 
other constituents; develop and transfer information systems and 
technology; carry out and support strong, relevant science; focus on 
long-term, high-risk research; address environmental issues; promote 
interdisciplinary team and systems approaches; and develop and 
strengthen institutional and human resources.
    The ARS guiding principles that appear on page 14 are based on the 
input and information gathered at the visioning conferences. In 
addition, the visioning process provides a broad thematic framework 
that runs throughout the ARS strategic plan. Shortly after the 
visioning process was completed, the agency established a strategic 
planning team (SPT) charged with drafting a new ARS strategic plan that 
meets the GPRA requirements.

GPRA Outcomes and General Goals

    In GPRA, Congress intended for each agency to identify the societal 
impact or outcome of its work. These outcomes are usually long-term and 
reflect the agency's general direction and purpose.
    ARS' research focuses on achieving five broad outcomes that 
parallel almost verbatim the outcomes identified in the strategic plan 
of the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area. GPRA 
calls on each agency to establish general goals that will contribute to 
achieving the long-term outcomes and that shape and drive the work of 
the agency during the 5 years covered by the plan. ARS derives its 
general goals and some of its initiatives from statutory language, 
specifically the ``Purposes of Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education'' set forth in section 801 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.

The Agricultural Research Service

    The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house 
research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Congress 
first authorized federally supported agricultural research in the 
Organic Act of 1862, which established what is now USDA. That statute 
directed the Commissioner of Agriculture ``* * * To acquire and 
preserve in his Department all information he can obtain by means of 
books and correspondence, and by practical and scientific experiments, 
* * *'' The scope of USDA's agricultural research programs has been 
expanded and extended more than 60 times in the 134 years since the 
Department was created.
    Before the enactment of large scale crop support and nutrition 
programs, agricultural research was a substantial part of the 
Department's budget. Shortly before World War II, USDA received about 
40 percent of all Federal funds appropriated for research. To better 
support the war effort, the Department's various research components 
were brought together into the Agricultural Research Administration 
(ARA). In 1953 the ARA was reorganized into the Agricultural Research 
Service. In FY 1996, ARS received an appropriation from Congress of 
$710 million (less than 1 percent of the Federal research funds 
appropriated for that year) which supported 1,200 research projects at 
104 locations involving about 1,950 scientists.

ARS Research

    ARS research has long been associated with higher yields and more 
environmentally sensitive farming techniques. But the impact of ARS 
research extends far beyond the farm gate and the dinner table. 
Agricultural research is as much about human health as it is about 
growing corn. For example, ARS recently developed a fat substitute 
called Oatrim. Not only does this technology benefit farmers by 
providing a new use for oats, it enables processors to produce tastier 
low-fat foods. Consumers may reap the biggest benefits: Oatrim-rich 
diets lower the bad (LDL) type of cholesterol without decreasing the 
good (HDL) type, and it improves glucose tolerance. ARS research is 
also as much about development of industrial products such as printing 
ink from crops like soybeans as it is about development of high-
yielding wheat varieties. And as with Oatrim, printing inks made from 
100-percent soybean oil instead of petroleum solve more than one 
problem: Unlike petroleum, soybeans are a renewable resource, and this 
technology diversifies markets for soybean farmers and choices for ink 
manufacturers and printers.
    ARS research provides solutions to a wide range of problems related 
to agriculture--problems requiring long-term commitment of resources or 
unlikely to have solutions with quick commercial payoff that would 
tempt private industry to do the research. These problems range from 
the ongoing battle to protect crops and livestock from costly pests and 
diseases to improving quality and safety of agricultural commodities 
and products determining the right mix of nutrients for humans from 
infancy to old age,

[[Page 37982]]

making the best use of natural resources, and all the while ensuring 
profitability for producers and processors while keeping costs down for 
consumers.
    To develop these solutions, ARS scientists carry out basic, 
applied, and developmental research. These are inextricably linked. 
Scientists cannot do applied and developmental research without the 
foundation provided by basic research; and ARS basic research must 
point toward specific uses for new knowledge resulting from the 
research. Also, basic research is necessary in anticipation of new 
problems and to provide information needed for rational nationwide 
policies.
    ARS scientists communicate research results and transfer new 
technologies from ARS to other scientists, institutions of higher 
education, products and process developers, and consumers, producers, 
and other end users through:
    Publications: ARS scientists write several thousand articles each 
year for scientific journals and trade magazines. Such publications are 
a primary means of sharing information with other scientists and are 
the first step in transferring results from the laboratory to everyday 
use. Equally important, peer review of articles published in scientific 
journals helps ensure that ARS research is of the highest quality.
    Conferences, Workshops, and Consultations: ARS scientists 
participate in selected conferences and workshops each year to ensure 
timely exchange of information with other scientists in the same and 
related fields and to work with customers in identifying research needs 
and opportunities. They also correspond extensively with other 
scientists and customers via paper and electronic mail, serve as expert 
consultants both locally and nationally, and otherwise stay connected 
with their scientific and customer communities. An expanding ARS 
involvement with electronic communications networks such as the 
Internet ensures that agency scientists will be participants in this 
relatively low-cost global information exchange.
    Cooperative Agreements and Patent Licenses: ARS aggressively 
pursues cooperative relationships with private industry, academia, and 
other Government agencies for further development of new technology. 
The agency also markets both patented and nonpatented technology for 
immediate use or further refinement. ARS continues to be an 
acknowledged leader among Federal agencies in technology transfer as 
judged by the relative number of patents, partnerships, patent 
licenses, and technology transfer awards.

International Collaboration

    The combined government funding for agricultural research in 
foreign countries far exceeds U.S. Federal funding for agricultural 
research. Recognizing this resource, ARS has set up carefully selected 
international collaborations, consistent with ARS program goals. This 
has led to a cost-effective supplementation of ARS technology 
development and germplasm. At present, the agency has 368 cooperative 
linkages with 51 countries. Collaborations often result in co-
publication of research results. Where appropriate, intellectual 
property is mutually protected with co-patents. Through its tactically 
constructed network of international research interchanges. ARS in 
cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, helps to advance techno-
scientific diplomacy for the U.S. Government.

National Agricultural Library

    The National Agricultural Library (NAL) was established by Congress 
in 1862. It is the largest agricultural library in the world and one of 
only four national libraries in the United States. In 1994 it became 
part of the Agricultural Research Service. The library's unique, 
comprehensive collection of more than 2.2 million volumes forms the 
fundamental base of knowledge on agriculture and related basic and 
applied sciences and social sciences for the Nation. Traditional as 
well as innovative and specialized information services and products 
enable customers to identify, locate, and obtain needed information on 
agriculture and related topics. Through preservation activities, NAL 
ensures that the collection is available for current and future use. 
NAL produces AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access), a bibliographic 
database of more than 3 million citations to agriculture literature, 
and provides leadership in development and application of information 
technologies that help ensure access to knowledge and information such 
as gene maps.

Technology Transfer Activities

    Products, techniques, and information generated from ARS research 
must be transferred to customers, if the United States is to maintain 
its global competitive edge in agriculture. The technology transfer 
process ranges from the controlled release of information via oral, 
written, or electronic form, to the establishment of research and 
development partnerships with private industry, other Government 
agencies, and universities. Intellectual property is guarded by patents 
and plant variety protection, and commercialization is achieved by 
patent licensing and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements 
(CRADA'S).

Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, and Values

Vision

    Leading America toward a better future through agricultural 
research and information.

Mission

    Provide access to agricultural information and develop new 
knowledge and technology needed to solve technical agricultural 
problems of broad scope and high national priority to ensure adequate 
availability of high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural 
products to meet the nutritional needs of the American consumer, to 
sustain a viable and competitive food and agricultural economy, to 
enhance quality of life and economic opportunity for rural citizens and 
society as a whole, and to maintain a quality environment and natural 
resource base.

Guiding Principles

    Provide leadership for the national agricultural research agenda.
    Carry out and support excellent, relevant science.
    Support long-term research to provide a foundation of problem 
solving.
    Apply the science base to address critical emerging problems.
    Provide the science base for informed policymaking.
    Strenghten relationships with ARS partners.
    Educate and relate to consumers and other constituents.
    Respond to societal, consumer, and environmental concerns.
    Promote interdisciplinary team and systems approaches.
    Develop and strengthen institutional and human resources.
    Develop and transfer information systems and technology.

Values

    Accountability: We are responsible to the public.
    Appreciation: We respect one another and value everyone's 
contribution.
    Cooperation: We work with others to most effectively use available 
knowledge, resources, and technologies.
    Creativity: We nurture and reward creativity.
    Global Perspective: We encourage and promote an international 
perspective and global collaboration on agricultural issues.

[[Page 37983]]

    Integrity: We are committed to the highest standards of honesty and 
ethical conduct.
    Leadership: We promote leadership in information and agricultural 
science.
    Objectivity: We are proud of our scientific objectivity and will 
continue to provide unbiased information.
    Partnerships: We encourage partnerships with other organizations 
and individuals.
    Quality: We are dedicated to the highest standards of quality in 
agricultural research and information dissemination.
    Relevance: We respond to the needs of the agricultural community 
and all of society.
    Service: We listen to our customers, both internal and external, 
and provide them quality scientific research, technologies, and 
information.
    Sharing: We are committed to share information broadly and in a 
timely fashion.
    Strategy: We shape the future by strategically positioning our 
resources and capabilities.
    Teamwork: We support teams that approach holistically by looking at 
the total implications of their work.

Key External Factors

Consumer, Socio-Economic, and Policy Trends

    The abundance and affordability of the American food supply is 
chiefly due to U.S. agricultural research. The Nation's ability to 
sustain this plentiful and inexpensive food supply continues to be 
paramount. But in recent years, consumer and producer attention has 
expanded somewhat to other areas of concern such as food safety and 
quality, the relationship of agriculture and the environment, the 
profitability of the agricultural enterprise, the impact of government 
regulations, land use restrictions, and economic options that diminish 
the supply of farmable, grazable land.
    The long-term sustainability of the Nation's food and fiber 
production systems will be determined not only by the continued 
profitability of farming and ranching, but also by how these production 
systems affect the environment. The capacity of U.S. agriculture to 
adapt to environmental changes is also a concern as are the 
availability and quality of natural resources. Another key 
environmental issue is how human activities affect weather patterns, 
atmospheric composition, and soil and water quality and productivity.
    Global population increases, demographic changes, and economic 
growth will substantially increase the demand for agricultural 
products. These changes should promote development of new markets. At 
the same time, increased agricultural efficiency in other countries 
will require that U.S. agriculture be more competitive. Meanwhile, 
budget deficits and external pressures on the domestic economy may 
reduce funding for agricultural research in both the public and private 
sectors.

Congressional Support

    The ability of ARS to respond to the many and diverse needs of 
producers and consumers is determined by congressional appropriations. 
Adjusted for inflation, these appropriated funds are substantially 
smaller now than they were two to three decades ago. As a consequence 
of inflation and the higher operating costs associated with advances in 
research equipment and techniques, the ARS scientific workforce, which 
reached a maximum of about 3,400 scientists in 1970, decreased by 
almost 40 percent during the following 25 years. In recent years, 
Congressional appropriations, expressed in current dollars, have 
remained static. Because of widespread concern about Federal budget 
deficits, and the commitment by both the Administration and the 
Congress to reduce Federal expenditures, future ARS budgets are 
expected to remain at or near the current level of $710 million. Even 
with the current low rate of inflation, this scenario is expected to 
lead to further decreases in both the strength of the scientific 
workforce and the scope of the research program.

Workforce Competition

    The Department of Labor projects an increase of 19 percent in the 
size of the general workforce in the next decade, which is slightly 
lower than the rate of growth for the preceding decade. The labor 
market during this period is also expected to be highly comptetive for 
many occupations that require and advanced education, including 
scientists, engineers, economists, and computer specialists. The high 
earning potential of professions, such as law and medicine, will 
continue to make a career in science less attractive to many young men 
and women who have the creative intelligence needed for professional 
success in agricultural research. Consequently, a major emphasis on 
recruitment, student employment, upward mobility, and training programs 
will be needed to attract and retain a quality workforce. The trend 
toward increasing workforce diversity is also expected to continue, and 
opportunities for encouraging women and minorities into careers in 
science, engineering, and economics will need to be given a high 
priority.

Key Internal Factors

Facilities
    ARS owns and manages nearly 3,000 laboratory and office buildings 
and about 400,00 acres of land in support of its research mission 
carried out at 104 domestic and foreign locations. The quality of ARS 
facilities' infrastructure directly affects the ability of ARS 
scientists to accomplish their research mission objectives and 
projects. ARS implemented a comprehensive facilities modernization 
program through which it determines priorities for allocation of 
resources for facilities modernization related to and consistent with 
the research priorities of the agency.
    In addition, ARS is currently participating in the Under 
Secretary's Agriculture Research Facilities Study Commission. The 
commission is charged with reviewing existing and proposed federally 
funded facilities to determine which ones should be closed, 
consolidated, or modernized.

Information Infrastructure

    The confluence of computers, advanced communications, and space 
technology has brought about an information systems revolution that is 
resulting in change comparable to that which occurred during the 
Industrial Revolution. The National Information Infrastructure (NII) 
will have the capacity to transmit information anywhere in the world at 
both high and low speeds, in a variety of data formats, including 
image, voice, and video.
    Scientists searching for research information will find it on the 
Internet; companies searching for new research findings and technology 
will find them on the Internet. Information is a key to opportunities 
and an economic resource. Those who learn to exploit database 
technology and electronic networks as a utility will be the ones to get 
ahead.
    As one example, the NII presents a unique opportunity to the 
National Agricultural Library (NAL). NAL has traditionally collected, 
managed, and housed food and agricultural research information to 
respond to requests by scientists, educators, consumers, and other 
constituents. But accumulation is no longer the answer: proper access 
is. Strategic alliances and partnerships are required to capitalize on 
the greater breadth of information available, while at the same time 
targeting audiences and tailoring information and delivery

[[Page 37984]]

formats to meet the needs of internal and external customers.

Human Resources

    ARS will need to continue using innovative approaches to human 
resources management to attract and retain critical core scientific, 
technical, and support capability. To meet the agency's human resources 
requirements and maintain the quality, relevance, and excellence of its 
core research programs, ARS must ensure continued innovations in human 
resources management such as the USDA' ARS and Forest Service 
Demonstration Project and the ARS Research Peer Evaluation System as a 
part of its overall strategic plan.

Core Capabilities

    ARS' policy is to maintain the essential combination of scientific 
expertise, fiscal and information resources, and facilities required to 
meet the needs of the agency's national programs. These core 
capabilities are a defining feature of the agency and can be mobilized 
to address national crises and other emerging problems.

Customers, Beneficiaries, Stakeholders, and Partners

    A listing of ARS' customers, beneficiaries, stakeholders, and 
partners is shown below. Although the list is constantly changing, it 
gives an indication of the breadth of ARS' customer base. Sometimes the 
same organization can be a customer, beneficiary, stakeholder, and/or 
partner.
    Customers--Individuals or organizations that directly use ARS 
services.

Producers and processors
National and international organizations
    Advocacy groups
    Commodity and futures markets
    International trade organizations
    International science and research organizations
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Secretary of Agriculture
    Other mission areas
    Action and regulatory agencies
    Office of Budget and Program Analysis
    Inspector General
    Chief Financial Officer
Other Federal agencies
Scientific community
Medical community
Health and dietary community
State and local Governments
News media

    Beneficiaries--Individuals whose well-being is enhanced by the 
agency's activities.

Domestic consumers
Foreign consumers of U.S. agricultural exports and technologies.

    Stakeholders--Orginzations or individuals that have an interest in 
the work of ARS but do not directly use the agency's products.

Legislative branch
Executive branch
ARS employees
    National and international organizations
    Producer and processor organizations
    Food and commodity organizations
    Foreign countries/governments
    Trade organizations
    Environmental organizations
    Retail organizations
    Consumer organizations

    Partners--Organizations that ARS works with collaboratively.

Institutions of higher education
Federal research agencies
Private industry

Strategic Plan

ARS Outcomes
    ARS' general goals and specific goals are focused on achieving five 
outcomes, which are expressions of long-term desirable societal results 
toward which the work of ARS is ultimately directed. The five ARS 
outcomes parallel, almost verbatim, the outcomes identified in the REE 
mission area strategic plan. The ARS general goals directly support the 
agency's ongoing efforts to achieve these five broad societal outcomes. 
Under each outcome is a brief explanatory statement that describes how 
ARS relates the outcome to the work of the agency. In addition, there 
are performance measures that indicate progress towards achieving each 
outcome.
General Goals and Explanatory Statements
    Under each outcome is one or more general goals and a brief 
explanatory statement that describes how ARS interprets the general 
goal and relates it to the work of the agency. ARS derives its general 
goals and some of its initiatives from statutory language, specifically 
the ``Purposes of Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education'' set 
forth in section 801 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Return 
Act of 1996. The general goals are broad enough to allow activities to 
overlap. In those instances, explanatory statements cross-reference the 
general goals where certain areas of related research would be covered. 
Each general goal has been given a short title.
Specific Goals
    Under each of the ARS general goals there are several subgoals. 
These focus the general goal on the mission and work of ARS. Many 
departments and agencies are using the term ``objective'' to identify 
their subgoals. ARS has an existing classification system that uses the 
term ``objective'' to describe areas of research. To avoid confusion, 
the ARS strategic plan uses the designation ``specific goal.'' Each 
specific goal has been given a short title.
Program Activities
    GPRA requires agencies to describe how the goals are to be achieved 
and how the performance measures relate to the general goals. The 
program activities describe briefly and broadly what activities ARS 
will undertake to accomplish the specific and general goals.
Performance Measures
    The performance measures describe specific achievements that 
indicate progress toward reaching the goals.
Agencywide Performance Measures
    The following performance measures are across the agency (not 
broken out by outcome or goal) over the 5 years covered by the plan.

--200 new patent applications*
--250 new CRADAs
--100 new Licenses
--650 new interagency agreements
--350 new plant germplasm releases to industry for further development

    ** 1,750 postdoctoral students will be involved in ARS research 
activities; 10 percent will be hired as full-time employees of the 
agency.
    Conduct 2,250 reviews under the research position evaluation system 
(RPES) to ensure the quality of the agency's scientists; 95 percent 
will achieve fully successful to outstanding ratings and 40 percent 
will be found qualified to work at a higher level of scientific 
inquiry.
    Conduct 1,250 peer reviews of research projects.
    Conduct 100 location reviews at research laboratories.
    Outcome 1. An agricultural production system that is highly 
competitive in the global economy.
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conduct research designed to 
generate new knowledge; improve production systems; enhance resource 
efficiencies; improve processing quality, performance, and the value of 
commodities; and develop technologies to reduce nontariff trade 
barriers. The national needs for scientific agricultural

[[Page 37985]]

information will be met in a timely manner. U.S. agricultural producers 
and processors will have access to current knowledge and technologies. 
Performance Goals: During the 5 years covered by this strategic plan, 
ARS will report:
     In basic research.

--1,300 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--1,100 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 basic research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In applied research.

--270 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--230 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 applied research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In development research and technology transfers.

--New patent applications*
--New CRADAs*
--New licenses*
--New interagency agreements*
--New plant germplasm releases to industry for further development*

     In nonformal education.

--95 percent of customer requests received and handled within 
established time frames

--12 presentations to lay and professional organizations

     In higher education.

--Knowledge and technologies promptly communicated to institutions of 
higher education within established time frames
--Graduate and postgraduate students involved in ARS research 
activities**

General Goal 1.1  Strengthen Competitiveness

    ``Enhance the competitiveness of the United States agriculture and 
food industry in an increasingly competitive world environment.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will generate new knowledge and develop 
new and improved production systems with greater resource efficiencies; 
improve the processing quality, performance, and value of commodities 
to meet domestic and global market needs; develop technologies to 
eliminate trade barriers due to quarantine issues and other nontariff 
trade constraints; and develop sustainable and cost-competitive food 
and industrial commodity processing technologies and concepts.
Specific Goal 1.1.1  Cost-Effective Agricultural Program Systems
    Develop new knowledge and integrated technologies for more 
efficient and economically sustainable agricultural production systems.
    Program Activity: Integrate the production, processing, and 
marketing technologies and knowledge into systems that optimize 
resource management, improve environmental quality, and facilitate 
technology transfer.
    Performance Measures: Demonstrate and transfer to users integrated 
systems. Demonstrate and transfer to users computer-based simulation 
models and decision-support systems.
Specific Goal 1.1.2  Postharvest Technologies
    Develop technologies and processes to reduce or overcome nontariff 
trade and quarantine barriers.
    Program Activity: Develop and evaluate alternative means of 
controlling or eliminating postharvest insects, diseases, and spoilage 
organisms in agricultural commodities and products.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate techniques to control or eliminate 
postharvest insects and diseases and increase market quality and 
product longevity.
    Program Activity: Develop technologies to replace methyl bromide to 
meet phytosanitary requirements, and to improve export opportunities 
for agricultural commodities.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate technologies to control quarantine 
insects and diseases on fruit.
    Program Activity: Develop diagnostic methods to identify weeds, 
diseases, and pests that must be controlled to permit the international 
movement of animals, plants, or animal and plant products.
    Performance Measure: New and improved diagnostic tests are 
developed and available.
Specific Goal 1.1.3  Product Quality and Marketability
    Improve quality, uniformity, value, and marketability of 
commodities and other agricultural products.
    Program Activity: Support the mission of action/regulatory agencies 
by defining and characterizing the desired physical, chemical, and 
aesthetic properties of agricultural commodities.
    Performance Measure: Provide knowledge and technology to expand and 
improve the grading systems for agricultural commodities and products.
    Program Activity: Advance the technology for measuring important 
nutrients and other quality components.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate methods to measure the critical 
processing and end-use properties of agricultural commodities important 
to the agricultural marketing system and to the processing industry.
Specific Goal 1.1.4  International Technology Interchange
    Develop a strategy for selective international research interchange 
to supplement ARS technology developments and strengthen 
competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.
    Program Activity: Gain access to foreign technology developments 
through tactical selection of opportunities for international research 
cooperation coherent with ARS domestic programs.
    Performance Measure: Strategic alliances formed with specific 
foreign institutions, leading to the joint development of germplasm and 
value-added technologies, mutually protected through intellectual 
property agreements.

General Goal 1.2  Develop New Uses and Products

    ``Develop new uses and new products for agricultural commodities, 
such as alternative fuels, and develop new crops'' Explanatory 
Statement: ARS will contribute to development of new and alternative 
crops, new food and nonfood uses and products from plants and animals, 
alternative fuels, and new processes and other technologies using these 
commodities.
Specific Goal 1.2.1  New and Alternative Crops
    Develop new and alternative crops with economic and social value.
    Program Activity: Introduce and genetically improve new and 
alternative crops to increase diversity of agricultural commodities and 
satisfy societal needs.
    Performance Measure: Experimentally demonstrate genetically 
improved crops with potential for successful introduction.
    Program Activity: Develop management practices for production, 
harvesting, and postharvest handling of new alternative crops.
    Performance Measure: Experimentally demonstrate new and improved 
production, harvest and postharvest handling procedures of these crops.
Specific Goal 1.2.2  New Uses and Products
    Develop new food and nonfood uses and products from plants and 
animals,

[[Page 37986]]

and new processes and other technologies that add value.
    Program Activity: Improve process technologies and develop new 
bioproducts and uses that will increase the demand for agricultural 
commodities.
    Performance Measure: Experimentally demonstrate improvements in 
processing technologies and develop new bioproducts and uses that have 
potential to increase demand for agricultural commodities.

Outcome 2. A Safe and Secure Food and Fiber System

    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conduct research designed to 
generate knowledge regarding new and improved management practices, 
pest management strategies, sustainable production systems, and the 
control of potential contaminants. Food safety research seeks ways to 
assess and control potentially harmful food contaminants. These 
activities will ensure a safe, plentiful, diverse, and affordable 
supply of food, fiber and other agricultural products.
    Performance Goals: During the 5 years covered by this strategic 
plan, ARS will report:
     In basic research.

--2,470 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--2,090 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 basic research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In applied research.

--435 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--365 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 applied research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In developmental research and technology transfers.

--New patent applications*
--New CRADAs*
--New licenses*
--New interagency agreements*
--New plant germplasm release to industry for further development*

     In nonformal education.

--95 percent of customer requests received and handled within 
established time frames
--12 presentations to lay and professional organizations

     In higher education.

--knowledge and technologies promptly communicated to institutions of 
higher education within established time frames
--graduate and postgraduate students involved in ARS research 
activities**

General Goal 2.1 Secure Food and Fiber System

    Maintain a safe and secure food and fiber system that meets the 
Nation's needs now and in the future.
    Explantory Statement: ARS' research program will conserve and 
enhance genetic resources and improve the efficiency of agricultural 
production and processing systems to provide America with a safe, 
adequate, secure, affordable and nutritious supply of food and fiber.
Specific Goal 2.1.1  Plant and Animal Production Systems
    Improve efficiency of agricultural production and protection 
systems to ensure the security of the Nation's food, fiber, and energy 
supply.
    Program Activity: Enhance output of agricultural products through 
development of new production methods that maximize net economic 
returns and minimize input costs while using environmentally 
sustainable technologies.
    Performance Measures: Demonstrate increases in productivity above 
current levels, using sustainable technologies.
    Demonstrate a more efficient and cost-effective use of resource 
inputs while increasing productivity above current levels.
    Develop and demonstrate new integrated technologies for improved 
protection of plants and animals.
Specific Goal 2.1.2  Plant and Animal Germplasm Resources
    Acquire, preserve, evaluate, and enhance genetic resources and 
develop new knowledge and technologies to increase the productive 
capacity of plants and animals.
    Program Activity: Develop improved genetic engineering and 
conventional methods and use them to produce new germplasm with 
increased production potential, improved resistance to pests and 
diseases, and enhanced productive capacity.
    Performance Measures: Release of improved germplasm, varieties, and 
breeds based on effective use of genetic resources.
    Improved methods for identifying useful properties of plants and 
animals and for manipulating the genes associated with these 
properties.
    Program Activity: Collect, preserve, evaluate, and make available a 
diverse range of germplasm that increases genetic variability and 
enhances productive capacity and food and fiber security.
    Performance Measures: Maintenance of collections of well-documented 
plant and animal germplasm of importance to U.S. agricultural security.
Specific Goal 2.1.3  Plant and Animal Biological Processes
    Develop biologically based technologies to improve productivity, 
safety, nutrient content, and quality of plants and animals and their 
products.
    Program Activity: Conduct fundamental and applied investigations of 
plant and animal biological processes that influence productivity, 
safety, nutrient content, and quality.
    Performance Measure: Make technologies available for improving 
productivity, safety, and quality.

General Goal 2.2  Safe Food

    ``Maintain an adequate, nutritious, and safe supply of food to meet 
human nutritional needs and requirements.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS' food safety research program will 
assess the safety of animal and plant products and develop methods to 
control potential food contaminants. The human nutrition research 
activities covered in this general goal are addressed in outcome 3, 
general goal 3.
Specific Goal 2.2.1  Plant and Animal Product Safety
    Provide knowledge and means for production of safe plant and animal 
products.
    Program Activity: Develop methods to reduce toxin-producing and/or 
pathogenic bacteria and fungi, parasites, mycotoxins, chemical 
residues, and plant toxins.
    Performance Measure: Transfer knowledge developed by ARS to 
industry and regulatory agencies.
    Outcome 3. A healthy and properly nourished population.
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conduct research to generate new 
knowledge in human nutrition that will establish the relationship 
between diet and health, measure food consumption patterns, and develop 
new methods to measure the nutrient composition of food. The outcomes 
of these efforts will be a safe, and nutritious food supply and a 
knowledge base that enables people to make healthful food choices. 
Performance Goals: During the 5 years covered by this strategic plan, 
ARS will report:
     In basic research.

--325 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--275 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 basic research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term

[[Page 37987]]

benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In applied research.

--25 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--22 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 applied research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In developmental research and technology transfers.

--New patent applications*
--New CRADAs*
--New licenses*
--New interagency agreements*
--New plant germplasm releases to industry for further development*

     In nonformal education.

--95 percent of customer requests received and handled within 
established time frames
--12 presentations to lay and professional organizations

     In higher education.

--Knowledge and technologies promptly communicated to institutions of 
higher education within established time frames
--Graduate and postgraduate students involved in ARS research 
activities**

General Goal 3.1  Nutritious Food

    ``Maintain an adequate, nutritious, and safe supply of food to meet 
human nutritional needs and requirements.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS' human nutrition research program will 
establish the relationship between diet, nutritional status, and health 
throughout life and the contribution of diet to disease resistance and 
the reduction of disorders related to nutrition. The program will 
develop methods for determining food components and maintain national 
food composition databases. ARS will monitor food consumption, 
knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the U.S. population and design 
and test techniques that enable people to improve their nutritional 
status. The food safety activities covered in this general goal are 
addressed in outcome 2.
Specific Goal 3.1.1  Human Nutrition Requirements
    Determine requirements for nutrients and other food components of 
children, pregnant and lactating women, adults, and elderly of diverse 
racial and ethnic backgrounds.
    Program Activity: Using population and survey data, human feeding 
studies, genetic models of metabolism, animal studies, and other 
methods, establish indicators of nutrient functions that show 
requirements and bioavailability of food components and their effects 
on health.
    Performance Measure: Indicators of function determined and related 
to diet and health.
Specific Goal 3.1.2  Food Composition and Consumption
    Develop techniques for determining food composition, maintain 
national food composition databases, monitor the food and nutrient 
consumption of the U.S. population, and develop and transfer effective 
nutrition intervention strategies.
    Program Activity: Develop new methods for measuring selected 
nutrients and food components, conduct surveys of food consumption, 
analyze survey results to determine consumption of nutrients, and 
design strategies for improvement.
    Performance Measure: Transfer new measurement techniques and data 
to users, release results of surveys, transfer effective nutrition 
intervention strategies.
Specific Goal 3.1.3  Nutritious Plant and Animal Products
    Develop more nutritious plant and animal products for human 
consumption.
    Program Activity: Improve the nutritional value of animal and plant 
products.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate improved nutritional quality.
    Outcome 4. Greater harmony between agriculture and the environment.
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conduct multidisciplinary research 
to solve problems arising from the interaction between agriculture and 
the environment. New practices and technologies will be developed to 
conserve the Nation's natural resource base and balance production 
efficiency and environmental quality. Since environmental quality is a 
global problem, ARS will expand collaboration with foreign research 
institutions. The outcome will be technology and practices that will 
mitigate the adverse impact of agriculture on the environment.
    Performance Goals: During the 5 years covered by this strategic 
plan, ARS will report:
     In basic research.

--1,070 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--900 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 basic research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In applied research.

--215 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--180 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 applied research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In developmental research and technology transfers.

--New patent applications *
--New CRADAs *
--New licenses *
--New interagency agreements *
--New plant germplasm releases to industry for further development *

     In nonformal education.

--95 percent of customer requests received and handled within 
established time frames
--12 presentations to lay and professional organizations

     In higher education.

--Knowledge and technologies promptly communicated to institutions of 
higher education within established time frames
--Graduate and postgraduate students will be involved in ARS research 
activities **

General Goal 4.1  Balance Agriculture and the Environment

    ``Increase the long-term productivity of the United States 
agriculture and food industry while maintaining and enhancing the 
natural resource base on which rural America and the United States 
agricultural economy depend.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conserve and enhance genetic 
resources, improve the efficiency of agricultural production systems, 
and develop new and improved high-quality food and nonfood agricultural 
and industrial products with improved pest and disease resistance and 
better adaptability to a wider range of climatic conditions. ARS will 
develop new and improved management practices, elucidate the potential 
effects of global climate change, and develop new ways to manage crop 
and animal production systems in the changing global climate, develop 
integrated pest management strategies, and integrated sustainable 
agricultural production systems to enhance the quality and productivity 
of the Nation's soil, water, and air, ensuring conservation of the 
natural resource bases essential to meet future needs.

[[Page 37988]]

Specific Goal 4.1.1  Natural Resource Quality and Quantity
    Develop new and improved management practices that will enhance the 
quality and productivity of the Nation's soil, water, and air 
resources.
    Program Activity: Develop on-farm agricultural practices and 
technologies to assess, predict, and improve soil, water, and air 
quality.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate agricultural management practices 
and technologies that protect and enhance the environment and natural 
resource base.
    Program Activity: Develop agricultural practices and technologies 
at the watershed scale that conserve and maintain the quality of 
natural resources.
    Performance Measure: Experimentally demonstrate the appropriateness 
of watershed-scale practices and technologies that protect the 
environment and natural resources.
Specific Goal 4.1.2  Global Climate Change
    Increase understanding of the responses of terrestrial ecosystems 
to manmade and natural changes in the global environment.
    Program Activity: Quantify the positive and negative aspects of 
agriculture's role in global change.
    Performance Measure: Documentation of agriculture's effects on the 
global environment.
    Program Activity: Assess and predict how changes in the global 
environment will affect agriculture.
    Performance Measure: Documentation of how changes in the global 
environment affect agriculture.
    Program Activity: Develop technologies that promote operational 
efficiency for agriculture in a changing global climate.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate techniques that can improve 
efficiency.
Specific Goal 4.1.3  Cropland and Rangeland Management Strategies
    Develop cropland and rangeland management strategies that will 
improve quality and quantity of food and fiber products needed for U.S. 
competitiveness.
    Program Activity: Develop concepts and practices for managing 
croplands and rangelands that will accommodate major increases in the 
quantity and quality of food and fiber products.
    Performance Measures: Demonstrate cropland and rangeland management 
strategies that improve productivity and efficiency of croplands and 
rangelands.
    Provide information directly to farmers and through public agencies 
and private organizations that will lead to adoption of improved 
cropland and rangeland management strategies.

General Goal 4.2  Risk Management

    ``Improve risk management in the United States agriculture 
industry.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will address the multifaceted risks that 
are inherent in the U.S. food and fiber production and processing 
systems. They can have economic, environmental, and human health 
components. The risks associated with weather extremes, such as 
droughts and floods, often result in serious economic losses and major 
environmental damage. Serious crop and animal losses can also result 
from temperature extremes, hail, and other weather conditions. Crop and 
animal producers frequently suffer severe economic losses from 
diseases, insects, and other pests. This general goal is targeted 
toward minimizing and, where feasible, eliminating the impact of these 
risks through development of better animals and plants and improved 
production and processing systems. The presence of toxic elements and 
bacterial contaminants in the food supply is addressed under general 
goal 8.
Specific Goal 4.2.1  Economic and Environmental Risks
    Reduce economic and environmental risks through improved management 
of agricultural production systems.
    Program Activity: Develop strategies and methods for conserving 
soil, water, and energy; managing pests and diseases; and reducing 
plant and animal stresses to minimize economic and environmental risks 
in agricultural production systems.
    Performance Measure: Risk-reduction strategies and methods 
transferred to the Nation's agricultural industry.
Specific Goal 4.2.2  Weather and Environmental Risks
    Develop technologies for predicting and reducing the socio-economic 
costs and resource damages associated with extreme weather variability.
    Program Activity: Develop improved strategies and technologies 
including crop residue management, irrigation systems, crop pest and 
disease forecast systems, and plant and animal genetic improvements 
that reduce the effects of extreme weather variability on food and 
fiber production.
    Performance Measure: Improve strategies and technologies that 
reduce the effects of extreme weather variability.

General Goal 4.3  Safe Production and Processing

    ``Improve the safe production and processing of, and adding of 
value to, United States food and fiber resources using methods that 
maintain the balance between yield and environmental soundness.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will develop new and improved management 
practices, integrated pest management strategies and integrated 
sustainable agricultural production systems to enhance the safety, 
quality, and productivity of the U.S. agricultural production and 
processing systems while protecting the National environment.
Specific Goal 4.3.1  Pest and Disease Management Strategies
    Develop environmentally safe methods to prevent or control pests 
and diseases in plants and animals.
    Program Activity: Develop knowledge and strategies for 
environmentally safe pest and disease management.
    Performance Measure: Deliver integrated pest and disease management 
strategies that are cost effective and protect natural resources, human 
health, and the environment.
Specific Goal 4.3.2  Integrated Agricultural Production Systems
    Deveop knowledge and integrated technologies for promoting the use 
of environmentally sustainable agricultural production systems.
    Program Activity: Develop integrated agricultural production 
systems that sustain soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources and 
recognize the importance of social and economic considerations.
    Performance Measures: Demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated 
agricultural production systems in the improvement of natural resources 
and protection of the environment.
    Provide computer-based models and decision-support systems to 
farmers, public agencies, and private organizations.
Specific Goal 4.3.3  Waste Management and Utilization
    Develop and transfer cost-effective technologies and systems to use 
agricultural, urban, and industrial wastes for production of food, 
fiber, and other products.
    Program Activity: Improve waste-management practices and systems to 
recycle agricultural, municipal, and industrial wastes on agricultural 
lands in more profitable and environmentally beneficial ways.

[[Page 37989]]

    Performance Measure: Demonstrate technologies to store, mix, 
compost, inoculate, incubate, and apply wastes to obtain consistent 
economic benefits while at the same time minimizing environmental 
degradation, nutrient loss, and noxious odors.
    Program Activity: Devise technologies and processes that are cost 
effective on a small scale for converting agricultural residues and 
wastes into renewable energy and industrial feedstocks.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate the conversion of agricultural 
waste into liquid fuels and industrial feedstocks.
    Outcome 5. Enhanced economic opportunity and quality of life for 
farmers, ranchers, rural citizens and communities.
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will conduct research to identify new 
crops, products, technologies, and practices to increase profitability, 
expand markets, add value, and make small-scale processing capabilities 
available in rural communities. Access to technologies and information 
will be expanded and simplified so that farmers, ranchers, and rural 
residents can obtain information in a timely manner. Progress towards 
this outcome will be seen in the gradual strengthening of rural 
economic growth and improvements in the quality and stability of rural 
life.
    Performance Goals: During the 5 years covered by this strategic 
plan, ARS will report:
     In basic research.

--1,285 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--1,080 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 basic research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In applied research.

--150 scientific papers published in refereed journals
--125 presentations to scientific organizations
--50 applied research accomplishments with significant potential long-
term benefits to U.S. agricultural industry and American society

     In development research and technology transfers.

--New patient applications*
--New CRADAs*
--New licenses*
--New interagency agreements*
--New plant germplasm releases to industry for further development*

     In nonformal education.

--95 percent of customer requests and received and handled within 
established time frames
--12 presentations to lay and professional organizations

     In higher education.

--knowledge and technologies promptly communicated to institutions of 
higher education within established time frames
--graduate and postgraduate students involved in ARS research 
activities**

General Goal 5.1  Economic Opportunity and Technology Transfer

    Conduct'' agricultural research * * * to promote economic 
opportunity in rural communities and to meet the increasing demand for 
information and technology transfer throughout the United States 
agriculture industry.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS will integrate basic long-term research 
and targeted short-term research to develop new technologies, 
practices, and production enterprises that increase profits, enhance 
the farm ecosystem, and develop small-scale processing technologies to 
create value-added products from agricultural commodities. In addition, 
ARS will improve access to research information, target information 
dissemination, transfer technology more effectively, and enhance 
exchange of problem-solving information with domestic and international 
research organizations. While the introductory focus of this goal is 
expanding economic opportunities, ARS interprets the information and 
technology transfer provisions to apply across the board to all areas 
of agricultural research. Activities specifically related to the work 
of the National Agricultural Library are addressed in initiative 2.
Specific Goal 5.1.1  Rural Development Opportunities
    Develop farming systems tailored to diverse agricultural production 
enterprises to enhance profits, sustainability, and environmental 
quality.
    Program Activity: Devise new technologies and practices and adapt 
existing ones to create new and diverse farming enterprises, products, 
and markets.
    Performance Measure: Experimentally demonstrate the successful 
operation of aquaculture systems, evaluate small-scale animal 
production systems, and enhance high-value horticultural products.
Specific Goal 5.1.2  Information Access and Delivery
    Provide improved access to and dissemination of information to 
increase public knowledge and awareness of agricultural research to aid 
technology transfer, and to speed up sharing of new knowledge.
    Program Activity: Expand the use of electronic means for 
information delivery.
    Performance Measure: Make information on ARS research results and 
inventions available electronically via the Internet and similar 
resources.
    Program Activity: Increase use of marketing techniques in targeting 
of public information and technology transfer products and activities.
    Performance Measure: Provide more cost-effective and efficient 
public information and technology transfer.
    Program Activity: Develop mechanisms to ensure proper consideration 
is given to public information and technology transfer needs during the 
planning and execution of research programs.
    Performance Measure: Research programs include information and 
technology transfer considerations.
    Specific Goal 5.1.3  Commercialize Research Results
    Develop technology transfer systems that lead to commercialization 
of research results by industry.
    Program Activity: Enhance the probability of success in 
commercializing ARS technology by ensuring that potential cooperators 
and businesses have access to non-ARS information on financing and 
business and product development.
    Performance Measure: Provide small businesses with contacts and 
information on the programs available from public and private sources.
    Program Activity: Increase the flexibility and decrease development 
time for technology transfer agreements.
    Performance Measure: Expand the types of agreements used by ARS and 
delegate signatory authority to the lowest feasible level.
ARS Administrative, Programmatic and Management Initiatives
    ARS' general goals and specific goals focus primarily on the 
Agency's research activities. The three ARS initiatives represent major 
activities that are of overaching important to the agency because they 
relate to and support all of the critical work of the agency. Each 
initiative has been given a short title.
Explanatory Statements
    Under each initiative is a brief explanatory statement that 
describes how ARS interprets the initiative and relates it to the work 
of the agency.
Specific Initiatives
    Under each of the initiatives are several subinitiatives that focus 
the

[[Page 37990]]

initiative on the mission and work of ARS. Each specific initiative has 
been given a short title.
Program Activities
    The program activities describe briefly and broadly what activities 
ARS will undertake to accomplish each initiative.
Performance Measures
    The performance measures describe specific achievements that 
indicate progress toward reaching the objectives of each initiative.

Administrative, Programmatic, and Management Initiatives

Initiative 1  Support Education

    ``Support higher education in agriculture to give the next 
generation of Americans the knowledge, technology, and applications 
necessary to enhance the competitiveness of United States 
agriculture.''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS has a very limited role to play in 
directly supporting higher education. The agency provides training 
opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral students to enable them to 
gain valuable knowledge and experience. Some of these scientists are 
eventually hired as full-time employees where they serve to maintain 
and enhance the agency's core scientific capabilities. Most go on to 
serve U.S. agriculture in other Federal, State, and local agencies, 
private industry, or academia. See initiative 3, specific initiative 
3.4 ARS, through the programs and services of the National Agricultural 
Library, provides access to information for institutions of higher 
education, their faculties, researchers, and students. See initiative 
2. In addition, ARS supports public information, outreach, and 
educational activities. See general goal 5.1, specific goal 5.1.2, and 
initiative 2, specific initiative 2.1.

Initiative 2  National Agricultural Library

    ``Ensure and enhance worldwide access to agricultural information 
through the programs of the National Agricultural Library (NAL).''
    Explanatory Statement: ARS, through the programs and services of 
the National Agricultural Library, will ensure that agricultural 
information essential to the Nation is acquired, organized, 
disseminated, and preserved for current and future use, and that 
appropriate advances are made to improve access to such information.
Specific Initiative 2.1  Access to Information
    Collect, organize, and provide access to information that supports 
agricultural programs and responds to information needs.
    Program Activity: Ensure that the NAL collection supports the 
information needs of current and future customers.
    Performance Measures: Implemented selection guidelines for the 
electronic resources to be acquired and use by NAL.
    Expanded representation of electronic formats such as Internet 
resources, online databases, and digital documents in AGRICOLA (NAL's 
bibliographic database of references to the literature of agriculture), 
and NAL's online catalog.
    Program Activity: Provide access to agriculture-related information 
and resources over a network where connections are transparent to the 
customer.
    Performance Measure: A gateway is provided to a large body of 
electronic information on agriculture over a network such as the 
Internet.
    Program Activity: Collaborate with land-grant universities and 
other institutions of higher education to improve access to information 
for faculty and students.
    Performance Measure: Demonstrate increased use of agricultural 
information by institutions of higher education.
Specific Initiative 2.2  Meet Customer Needs for Information
    Anticipate and provide information products and services, including 
educational programs, that enable NAL's diverse customers to identify, 
locate, and obtain desired information on agricultural topics.
    Program Activity: Use new technologies and methods to promote 
faster delivery of information services.
    Performance Measure: The time for processing requests for services 
and delivering the information requested is further reduced.
    Program Activity: Enhance the coverage, currency, and accessibility 
of NAL-produced databases.
    Performance Measure: The gap between the time that information is 
published and made available in NAL-produced databases is further 
reduced.
    Program Activity: Develop and implement a multifaceted, integrated 
training program that enables customers to take full advantage of 
current and emerging technologies and information systems.
    Performance Measure: Expanded provision of Internet and other 
technology-related training programs for NAL customers.
Specific Initiative 2.3  Preservation of Significant Materials
    Preserve significant and important works in agriculture and the 
fields related to agriculture to ensure availability of NAL's 
collections to current and future generations.
    Program Activity: Work with the land-grant universities and other 
national and international organizations to coordinate preservation of 
USDA documents, agriculture-related publications of other Federal and 
State agencies, and other materials important to agriculture.
    Performance Measure: Establishment of a national archive for 
agricultural literature that serves as a centralized storage facility 
for archival copies prepared by cooperators in the program.
    Program Activity: Coordinate evaluation of digital preservation 
technologies and recommend policies and procedures for cooperators in 
the national preservation program for agricultural materials.
    Performance Measure: Development of a program for monitoring 
quality of electronically archived materials to ensure that the data 
remain accessible.

Initiative 3  Creative Leadership

    Promote excellence, relevance, and recognition of agricultural 
research through creative leadership in management and development of 
resources, communications systems, and partnerships with our customers 
and stakeholders.
    Explanatory Statement: ARS research administrators, research 
leaders, and scientific staffs are responsible for promoting the 
excellence, relevance, and recognition of ARS research programs as part 
of the U.S. agricultural research community. This includes exercising 
leadership in developing a national research agenda, strengthening 
relationships with States and private partners, and effectively 
managing the agency's research infrastructure to preserve its core 
capacity for agricultural research.
Specific Initiative 3.1  Develop Research Agenda
    Identify ARS program priorities and core research capabilities and 
use them to provide leadership in development of the coordinated REE 
and national research agendas.
    Program Activity: Develop the annual performance plan as required 
by GPRA.
    Performance Measure: The annual performance plan is delivered on 
time.

[[Page 37991]]

    Program Activity: Recommend priorities for inclusion in the REE 
Coordinated Research Agenda.
    Performance Measure: Meet REE deadlines for submission of material 
for inclusion in the Coordinated Research Agenda.
    Program Activity: Articulate approaches to addressing the Nation's 
most critical agricultural research needs.
    Performance Measure: Annual conferences of public and private 
individuals are convened to discuss major researchable issues in 
agriculture and to articulate approaches to addressing these problems.
    Program Activity: Respond to urgent national problems that require 
reallocation of resources.
    Performance Measure: Rapid responses to crises.
Specific Initiative 3.2  Customer Service
    Improve customer service.
    Program Activity: Develop and implement customer service plans, and 
evaluate their effectiveness.
    Performance Measure: Improved customer satisfaction.
    Program Activity: Solicit customer input in improving ARS programs, 
products, and services.
    Performance Measure: Customer needs are identified.
Specific Initiative 3.3  Management of Facilities
    Provide appropriately equipped Federal facilities required to 
support the research and information activities of ARS into the next 
century.
    Program Activity: Develop criteria and priorities for the 
construction, consolidation, modernization, and closure of facilities.
    Performance Measure: Criteria and priorities identified.
Specific Initiative 3.4  Maintenance of Core Research Capabilities
    Develop and implement comprehensive human resource systems and 
policies to support and enhance ARS' core research capabilities while 
maintaining the flexibility to shift research and form 
interdisciplinary teams to address emerging problems.
    Program Activity: Develop a comprehensive plan to assemble a core 
capability of scientific expertise to meet the needs of long-term 
research objectives and goals with the ability to respond quickly to 
emerging needs.
    Provide training opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral 
students.
    Performance Measures: Identify core capability requirements and 
develop a scientific staff to meet long-term research needs.
    Establish a database of ARS experts by discipline and research 
areas of expertise.
    Train 1,750 postdoctoral students, select 10 percent to fill 
fulltime positions.
Specific Initiative 3.5  Provide Administrative Support to REE
    Serve as the lead agency in providing administrative and financial 
management services for Research, Education, and Economics.
    Program Activity: Solicit customer input and develop strategic plan 
for administrative and financial management services.
    Performance Measures: Customer participation in planning processes. 
Strategic plan is developed and communicated to REE customers.
Specific Initiative 3.6  Program Excellence and Relevance
    Ensure excellence and relevance of ARS programs through a variety 
of comprehensive reviews.
    Program Activity: Obtain broad-based peer review of all ARS 
research projects.
    Performance Measure: Internal and external peer reviews are 
conducted on all research projects before implementation.
    Program Activity: Periodically review the quality, quantity, and 
impact of the work of ARS scientists.
    Performance Measure: Review of the productivity, quality, and 
impact of individual scientists is conducted as scheduled in the 
Research Position Evaluation System (RPES).
    Program Activity: Continuous input on the relevance and quality of 
ARS research programs is solicited from peer scientists and users, 
evaluated, and implemented where appropriate to the ARS mission.
    Performance Measure: Program reviews are conducted periodically, 
and programs are sustained or redirected as appropriate.
      

                                                                  ARS Resource Summary                                                                  
                                                               [Million dollars per year]                                                               
                                                [The values in this table are approximate and not final]                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                   Extension,                           
                                                                                                 Developmental    outreach, and                         
                            ARS outcomes                                Basic        Applied      research and       public        Higher   ARS total by
                                                                       research     research       technology      information   education     outcome  
                                                                                                    transfer      and education                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Competitive agricultural system in the global economy..............       61.6         13.68            53.5            19.5     .........      148.28  
                                                                                                                                                (20.9%) 
Safe and secure food and fiber system..............................      128.8         21.72            95.14    ..............  .........      245.66  
                                                                                                                                                (34.7%) 
Healthy, well-nourished............................................       48.6          1.76            15.3     ..............  .........       65.66  
                                                                                                                                                 (9.2%) 
Agriculture's interface with the environment.......................       53.3         11.06            54.22    ..............  .........      118.58  
                                                                                                                                                 16.7%) 
Economic enhancement and quality of life...........................       69.95         8.22            53.66    ..............  .........      131.28  
                                                                                                                                                (18.5%) 
      Total by function............................................      362.25        56.44           271.82        \3\19.5          \4\0      710.0   
                                                                       (51%)           (7.9%)          (38.3%)          (2.8%)   .........   (100%)     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes:                                                                                                                                              
\1\ All of the above budget values are based on FY 1996 appropriated dollars.                                                                           
\2\ Allocation of budget across functions and program outcomes is based on scientists' division of funds.                                               
\3\ $19.5 million constitutes the budget for the National Agricultural Library which supports work in all 5 outcomes.                                   
\4\ The financial and human resources needed to support the non-NAL public information activities are included in the basic, applied and developmental/ 
  technology transfer activities.                                                                                                                       


[[Page 37992]]


    The following will appear on the inside back cover of the published 
plan.

The ARS Pledge to Customer Service

    In addition to the customer focus in GPRA, the President's 
Executive Order 12862 Customer Service Standards mandated each agency 
to, among other things, ``identify the customers who are served by the 
agency'' and establish and ``post service standards and measure results 
against them.'' A work group developed the following customer service 
pledge, which applies to all ARS employees:
    Our vision of customer service:
    To practice the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
    To dedicate ourselves to quality and excellence.
    To provide objective and factual information to our customers.
    To value and treat each customer courteously.
    To listen to our customers and strive to understand their needs.
    To appreciate the diversity of our customers and respect their 
contributions.
    To provide timely, complete, and understandable responses to 
customer requests.
    To treat our coworkers as customers.

[FR Doc. 96-18462 Filed 7-17-96; 1:47 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-M