| 2000 ARS Annual Performance Report |
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1 - 2000 ARS Annual Performance Report
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The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) was established on November 2, 1953, pursuant to authority vested in the Secretary of Agriculture by 5 U.S.C. 301 and Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953, and other authorities.
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 139 years since the Department was created.
The research currently performed by ARS is authorized by the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1862 (7 U.S.C. 2201 note), Agricultural Research Act of 1935 (7 U.S.C. 427), Research and Marketing Act of 1946 (P.L. 79-733), as amended (7 U.S.C. 427, 1621 note), Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-113), as amended (7 U.S.C. 1281 note), Food Security Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-198) (7 U.S.C. 3101 note), Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-624) (7 U.S.C. 1421 note), Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-127), and Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-185). ARS derived most of its objectives from statutory language, specifically the "Purposes of Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education" set forth in Section 801 of FAIR.
The ARS mission is to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to: ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products; assess the nutritional needs of Americans; sustain a competitive agricultural economy; enhance the natural resource base and the environment; and provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole.
Verification, Validation, and Program Evaluation: ARS currently conducts a series of review processes designed to ensure the relevance and quality of its research work and maintain the highest possible standards for its scientists. This process involves customer input to help keep the research focused on the technical needs of the American food and agricultural system. Each of the approximately 1,100 research projects, which are organized into 22 National Programs, undergoes a thorough merit review before new or renewed activities are begun. All ARS employees, including the scientific workforce, are subject to annual performance reviews, and the senior scientists undergo a rigorous peer review (Research Position Evaluation System•RPES) on a 3- to 5-year cycle. These processes ensure the continuing high quality of the ARS scientific workforce.
The new National Programs focus the work of the Agency on achieving the goals defined in the ARS Strategic Plan. The research priorities for each National Program are established with extensive input from customers, stakeholders, and partners received, in part, at a series of National Program Workshops. A detailed Action Plan is developed for each National Program and it is available on the ARS home page •
www.ars.usda.gov.In FY 2000, ARS began a series of National Program and program component reviews that help to ensure the quality, relevancy, effectiveness, and productivity of the work being done in each National Program. Additional information on the new ARS quality review program is available on the ARS home page • under "Scientific Quality Review." The Annual Performance Plans will also serve to keep the work of the Agency focused on achieving the goals established in the ARS Strategic Plan. The aggregate effect of these changes will be a strengthened research program and an accountability system that will measure more effectively the progress made towards achieving established goals and outcomes.
Additional information describing the key external factors affecting the ability of ARS to achieve the goals and objectives described in this report and a description of the Agency•s partnerships with other Federal agencies can be found in the introduction of the ARS Annual Performance Plan. The Annual Performance Plans and Reports are also available on the ARS home page.
In FY 2000, ARS reviewed its Strategic Plan as required by GPRA. Since a transition was approaching from one Presidential Administration to the next, the decision was made to refine and update the existing Strategic Plan (1997-2002) rather than completely revise it. However, several years of experience with GPRA led us to make substantial changes in two parts of the Plan - Administrative, Programmatic, and Management: Initiative 2 (National Agricultural Library) and Initiative 3 (Creative Leadership). The Annual Performance Report for FY 2000 contains the "old" language from last year•s Annual Performance Plan, but the Accomplishments and Impacts/Outcomes have been reported against the new and more relevant indicators contained in Appendix A. Next year, Appendix A will be fully integrated into both the Annual Performance Plan for FY 2002-2003 and the Annual Performance Report for FY 2001.
In January 1998, ARS requested permission from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "to describe specific and tangible products, steps, intermediate goals, and/or accomplishments that will demonstrate that the Agency has successfully met each Performance Measure/Goal in a given fiscal year." With OMB•s concurrence, ARS has employed narrative descriptions of intermediate outcomes and indicators of progress instead of numerical metrics. The indicators listed in this Annual Performance Report represent intermediate outcomes, significant research accomplishments, and actual or anticipated impacts/outcomes of the Agency•s work, which serve to measure progress during FY 2000. The research and technology transfer activities listed in this report are not all inclusive of the Agency•s work. The indicators reflect, but do not adequately capture the broad range of basic research that underpins much of the Agency•s work. Because of the unique nature of research, as recognized by the OMB waiver, ARS accomplishments are described using a nonnumeric narrative approach that may differ from the style and format used by most other USDA Agencies.
Only Federal employees were involved in the preparation of this report.
Strategic Goal/ Management Initiative | ARS FY 2000 Annual Performance Report |
Goal 1: Through Research and Education, Empower the Agricultural System with Knowledge that Will Improve Competitiveness in Domestic Production, Processing, and Marketing. | Performance Goal 1.1.1.1: Demonstrate and transfer to users integrated systems. Performance Goal 1.1.1.2: Demonstrate and transfer to users computer-based simulation models and decision-support systems. Performance Goal 1.1.2.1: Demonstrate techniques to control or eliminate postharvest insects and diseases, and increase market quality and product longevity. Performance Goal 1.1.2.2: Demonstrate technologies to control quarantine pests. Performance Goal 1.1.2.3: New and improved diagnostic tests are developed and available. Performance Goal 1.1.3.1: Demonstrate postharvest technologies that add value and improve quality. Performance Goal 1.1.3.2: Provide knowledge and technology to expand and improve the grading systems for agricultural commodities and products. Performance Goal 1.1.3.3: Demonstrate methods to measure the critical processing and end-use properties of agricultural commodities important to the agricultural marketing system and the processing industry. |
Goal 1: Through Research and Education, Empower the Agricultural System with Knowledge that Will Improve Competitiveness in Domestic Production, Processing, and Marketing. (Continued) | Performance Goal 1.1.4.1: Strategic alliances formed with specific foreign institutions, leading to the joint development of germplasm and value-added technologies, mutually protected through intellectual property agreements. Performance Goal 1.2.1.1: Experimentally demonstrate the production of new, improved, and alternative crops and horticultural products with potential for successful introduction and demonstrate the successful operation of aquaculture systems. Performance Goal 1.2.1.2: Experimentally demonstrate new and improved production, harvest, and postharvest handling procedures of these crops. Performance Goal 1.2.2.1: Experimentally demonstrate improvements in processing technologies and develop new bioproducts and uses that have potential to increase demand for agricultural commodities. |
Goal II: To Ensure an Adequate Food Supply and Improved Detection, Surveillance, Prevention, and Educational Programs for the American Public•s Health, Safety and Well-Being. |
Performance Goal 2.1.1.1: Demonstrate increases in productivity above current levels using sustainable technologies. Performance Goal 2.1.1.2: Demonstrate a more efficient and cost-effective use of resource inputs while increasing productivity above current levels. Performance Goal 2.1.2.1: Demonstrate new integrated technologies to protect plants, animals, and ecosystems. Performance Goal 2.1.3.1: Collections of well-documented germplasm of importance to U.S. agricultural security are readily available to scientists and breeders for research and development. Performance Goal 2.1.3.2: Documented DNA base sequences of agricultural importance. Performance Goal 2.1.3.3: Release of improved germplasm, varieties, and breeds based on effective use of genetic resources. Performance Goal 2.1.3.4: Improve methods for identifying useful properties of plants, animals, and other organisms, and for manipulating the genes associated with these properties. Performance Goal 2.1.4.1: Make technologies available for improving productivity, safety, and quality, and the security of the agricultural production system. Performance Goal 2.2.1.1: Transfer knowledge developed by ARS to industry and regulatory agencies. |
Goal III: A Healthy and Well-Nourished Population Who Have Knowledge, Desire and Means to Make Health Promoting Choices. | Performance Goal 3.1.1.1: Indicators of function determined and related to diet and health. Performance Goal 3.1.2.1: Transfer new measurement techniques and data to users, release results of surveys, and disseminate effective nutrition intervention strategies. Performance Goal 3.1.3.1: Demonstrate improved nutritional quality. |
Goal IV: To Enhance the Quality of the Environment through Better Understanding of and Building on Agriculture•s and Forestry•s Complex Links with Soil, Water, Air, and Biotic Resources. |
Performance Goal 4.1.1.1: Demonstrate concepts and on-farm agricultural technologies and management practices that maintain and enhance the environment and natural resource base. Performance Goal 4.1.1.2: Experimentally demonstrate the appropriateness of watershed-scale technologies and practices that protect the environment and natural resources. Performance Goal 4.1.2.1: Documentation of agriculture's effects on the global environment. Performance Goal 4.1.2.2: Documentation of how changes in the global environment affect agriculture. Performance Goal 4.1.3.1: Demonstrate cropland and grazingland management strategies that improve productivity and efficiency of croplands and grazinglands. Performance Goal 4.2.1.1: Risk-reduction strategies and methods transferred to the Nation's agricultural industry. Performance Goal 4.2.2.1: Improve strategies and technologies that reduce the effects of extreme weather variability. Performance Goal 4.3.1.1: Deliver integrated pest management strategies that are cost-effective and protect natural resources, human health, and the environment. Performance Goal 4.3.2.1: Demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated agricultural production systems in the improvement of natural resources and protection of the environment. Performance Goal 4.3.2.2: Provide computer-based models and decision-support systems to farmers, public agencies, and private organizations. Performance Goal 4.3.3.1: 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. Performance Goal 4.3.3.2: Demonstrate the conversion of agricultural waste into liquid fuels and industrial feedstocks. |
Goal V: Empower People and Communities, through Research-Based Information and Education, to Address the Economic and Social Challenges of Our Youth, Families, and Communities. |
Performance Goal 5.1.1.1: Experimentally demonstrate the successful operation of small-scale production and processing systems, evaluate small scale animal production systems, and enhance high value agricultural products. Performance Goal 5.1.2.1: Make information on ARS research results and inventions available electronically via the Internet and similar resources. Performance Goal 5.1.2.2: Provide more cost-effective and efficient public information and technology transfer. Performance Goal 5.1.2.3: Research programs include information and technology transfer considerations. Performance Goal 5.1.3.1: Provide small businesses with contacts and information on the programs available from public and private sources. Performance Goal 5.1.3.2: Expand the types of agreements used by ARS and delegate signatory authority to the lowest feasible level. |
Administrative, Programmatic, and Management Initiatives. |
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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 U.S. Agriculture". |
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Initiative 2: National Agricultural Library: "Ensure and Enhance Worldwide Access to Agricultural Information through the Programs of the National Agricultural Library (NAL)". | Performance Goal 2.1.1: Implemented selection guidelines for the electronic resources to be acquired and used by NAL. Performance Goal 2.1.2: Expanded representation of electronic formats such as Internet resources, online databases, and digital documents in AGRICOLA and NAL's online catalog. Performance Goal 2.1.3: A gateway is provided to a large body of electronic information on agriculture over a network such as the Internet. Performance Goal 2.1.4: Demonstrate increased use of agricultural information by institutions of higher education. Performance Goal 2.2.1: The time for processing requests for services and delivering the information requested is further reduced. Performance Goal 2.2.2: The gap between the time that information is published and made available in NAL-produced databases is further reduced. Performance Goal 2.2.3: Expanded provision of Internet and other technology-related training programs for NAL customers. Performance Goal 2.3.1: Establishment of a national archive for agricultural literature that serves as a centralized storage facility for archival copies prepared by cooperators in the program. Performance Goal 2.3.2: 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. | Performance Goal 3.1.1: The annual performance plan is delivered on time. Performance Goal 3.1.2: Meet REE deadlines for submission of material for inclusion in the Coordinated Research Agenda. Performance Goal 3.1.3: Annual conferences of public and private individuals are convened to discuss major researchable issues in agriculture and to articulate approaches to addressing these problems. Performance Goal 3.1.4: Rapid responses to crises. Performance Goal 3.2.1: Written policies and guidance to facilitate implementation of the Civil Rights program. |
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. (Continued) |
Performance Goal 3.2.2: Improve all aspects of the Title VII program which includes EEO training, data collection, and monitoring and evaluation. Performance Goal 3.3.1: Partnerships are established. Performance Goal 3.3.2: Procedures are implemented. Performance Goal 3.3.3: Outside support increases. Performance Goal 3.4.1: Improved customer satisfaction. Performance Goal 3.4.2: Customer needs are identified. Performance Goal 3.5.1: Criteria and priorities identified. Performance Goal 3.6.1: Identify core capability requirements and develop a scientific staff to meet long-term research needs. Performance Goal 3.6.2: Establish a database of ARS experts by discipline and research areas of expertise. Performance Goal 3.6.3: Train 1,300 postdoctoral students, and competitively select 10 percent to fill full-time positions. Performance Goal 3.7.1: Customer participation in planning processes. Performance Goal 3.7.2: Strategic Plan is developed and communicated to REE customers. Performance Goal 3.8.1: Internal and external peer reviews are conducted on all research projects before implementation. Performance Goal 3.8.2: Review of the productivity, quality, and impact of individual scientists as scheduled in the Research Position Evaluation System (RPES). Performance Goal 3.8.3: Program reviews are conducted periodically, and programs are sustained or redirected as appropriate. Performance Goal 3.9.1: Implement integrated management systems in USDA. Performance Goal 3.9.2: Correct in a timely manner internal control deficiencies. Performance Goal 3.9.3: Make available reliable cost accounting information. Performance Goal 3.9.4: Clean and timely audit opinions are provided on audited financial statements. |
Appendix A Effectively Marshal the Diverse Capabilities and Resources of ARS. | Performance Goal 6.2.1.1: Maintain up-to-date data on customer information needs and satisfaction. Performance Goal 6.2.1.2: Integrate customer data into continuous refinement of operations. Performance Goal 6.2.1.3: Develop and improve NAL information delivery systems. Performance Goal 6.2.1.4: Develop an Agricultural Subject Headings thesaurus. Performance Goal 6.2.1.5: Increase collaboration via AgNIC (Agriculture Network Information Center). |
Appendix A Effectively Marshal the Diverse Capabilities and Resources of ARS. (Continued) | Performance Goal 6.2.1.6: Develop programs and services for previously under-served audiences. Performance Goal 6.2.1.7: Support increased diversity in librarianship and information management. Performance Goal 6.2.2.1: Expand acquisition of information in all formats. Performance Goal 6.2.2.2: Gain space for collection growth. Performance Goal 6.2.2.3: Preserve and secure collections. Performance Goal 6.2.2.4: Increase number of records. Performance Goal 6.2.2.5: Increase linkages to electronic content. Performance Goal 6.2.2.6: Continue modernization of the Abraham Lincoln Building. Performance Goal 6.2.2.7: Ensure systematic upgrade of equipment. Performance Goal 6.2.2.8: Ensure security of data and equipment. Performance Goal 6.2.2.9: Implement new electronic library management system with minimal disruption to customers and staff/operations. Performance Goal 6.2.2.10: Refine administrative and business processes, organizational structures, and functions. Performance Goal 6.2.2.11: Develop Intranet. Performance Goal 6.2.2.12: Ensure equitable opportunities for staff development. Performance Goal 6.2.2.13: Implement staff succession plan. Performance Goal 6.3.1.1: Annual conferences of public and private individuals are convened to discuss major researchable issues in agriculture and articulate approaches to addressing these problems. Performance Goal 6.3.2.1: Recommendations are implemented and processes and practices are modified as appropriate. Performance Goal 6.3.2.2: ARS managers, supervisors, and employees are better informed on EEO/CR issues. Performance Goal 6.3.2.3: Recommendations resulting from the agency-wide on-site EEO compliance review are implemented. Performance Goal 6.3.2.4: A comprehensive, fully integrated system is installed to assist in analyzing workforce profiles, analyzing adverse impacts, and monitoring every aspect of discrimination complaint processing. Performance Goal 6.3.3.1: Criteria and priorities are identified. Performance Goal 6.3.3.2: Priority projects are proposed for funding in ARS annual building and facility request. Performance Goal 6.3.4.1: Identify core capability requirements and develop a scientific staff to meet long-term research needs. Performance Goal 6.3.4.2: Train postdoctoral students through the ARS Research Associate Program and competitively select 10 percent each year to fill full-time positions. |
Appendix A Effectively Marshal the Diverse Capabilities and Resources of ARS. (Continued) | Performance Goal 6.3.5.1: Customer participation in planning processes. Performance Goal 6.3.5.2: Strategic plan is developed and communicated to REE customers. Performance Goal 6.3.5.3: Formal feedback is solicited from REE customers. Performance Goal 6.3.6.1: Panel peer reviews are conducted on all research projects before implementation and subsequently every five years. The majority of the peer reviewers are external to ARS. Performance Goal 6.3.6.2: Review of the productivity, quality, and impact of individual scientists is conducted as scheduled in the Research Position Evaluation System (RPES). Performance Goal 6.3.7.1: Implement integrated management systems in USDA. Performance Goal 6.3.7.2: Correct in a timely manner internal control deficiencies. Performance Goal 6.3.7.3: Make available reliable cost accounting information. Performance Goal 6.3.8.1: ARS will identify and generate a comprehensive directory of organizations that serve the under-served who are potential users of ARS research. Performance Goal 6.3.8.2: ARS will convene a national outreach workshop that will bring together representatives of under-served populations. Performance Goal 6.3.8.3: In FY 2001, each ARS Area will convene Area workshops to identify researchable issues of interest to under-served populations. Performance Goal 6.3.8.4: In FY 2000 (using 1999 data), establish baseline data for extramural agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, and Letters of Agreement with organizations serving historically under-served populations. Performance Goal 6.3.8.5: In FY 2001, ARS will increase its extramural agreements to organizations which serve under-served populations by no less than 20 percent over its established (FY 1999) baseline. Performance Goal 6.3.8.6: In FY 2001, ARS will show an increase in the number of invitations extended to representatives of under-served populations to participate in program workshops, symposia, project/program reviews, and site/ location reviews. Performance Goal 6.3.8.7: In FY 2001, ARS will show an increase in the number of research collaborations and technology transfer activities focused on meeting the special needs of this target population. Performance Goal 6.3.8.8: In FY 2000, ARS will inform all senior managers and SYs of their roles and responsibilities under the outreach plan. Performance Goal 6.3.8.9: In FY 2001, ARS will expand access to research information by the historically under-served organizations. Performance Goal 6.3.8.10: ARS will expand outreach efforts to interest under-served students in agriculture/food science. Performance Goal 6.3.8.11: ARS will work with educational institutions and community-based organizations serving target populations to identify barriers and develop strategies to get information to under-served populations. |
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