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National Research Initiative: A Vital Competitive Grants Program in Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources Research (2000)

Chapter: Table of Contents

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Suggested Citation: "Table of Contents." National Research Council. 2000. National Research Initiative: A Vital Competitive Grants Program in Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources Research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9844.

	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY	1
	History of Competitive Research at the USDA,	2
	Organization,	2
	Study Process,	3
	Status of the National Research Initiative,	4
	NRI’s Mission,	4
	Research Accountability,	5
	Priority Setting and Organization,	7
	Funding,	11
	A National Food, Fiber, and Natural Resources Research Complex,	14
1.	INTRODUCTION	15
	Brief History of Competitive Research at USDA,	16
	NRI Organization,	19
	Prior Reviews of the NRI,	19
	Study Process,	20
	Overview of Report,	20

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2.	VALUE OF FOOD, FIBER, AND NATURAL-RESOURCES RESEARCH	21
	Economic Contributions,	22
	Rates of Return from Food and Fiber Research,	23
	Impacts of Advances in Life Sciences,	25
	Public-Sector and Private-Sector Research Funding,	26
3.	THE NATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVE COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM	29
	Quality and Value,	30
	Measuring the Quality and Value of NRI-Supported Research,	31
	Novelty and Significance of Research,	35
	Fairness,	36
	The NRI Peer Review Process,	36
	Evaluation of NRI Peer Review Process,	38
	Relevance and Responsiveness,	39
	Summary Findings,	40
4.	ROLE AND SCOPE OF THE NRI PROGRAM	41
	Scientific Objectives,	42
	Applied versus Fundamental Research,	42
	Multidisciplinary Research,	59
	Training and Education,	45
	Developing Future Scientists,	45
	Strengthening Academic Institutions in the Food and Fiber System,	46
	Enhancing Public Understanding,	47
	Complementarity,	48
	Other USDA-Funded Research Programs,	48
	Intramural Research,	48
	Formula Funds,	49
	Special Grants,	49
	Other Competitive Grants in USDA,	50
	Complementarity of NRI in USDA,	51
	Other Federal Programs,	52
	National Science Foundation,	52
	National Institutes of Health,	53
	Department of Energy,	53
	Interagency Programs,	54
	Complementarity of NRI with other Federal Programs,	55
	Industry and the NRI,	56
	Summary Findings,	56
	Scientific Objectives,	56
	Training and Education,	56
	Complementarity,	57

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5.	PRIORITIES AND PRIORITY-SETTING AT THE NRI	58
	Process,	59
	Overview of USDA Priority-Setting Process,	59
	NRI Priority-Setting Process,	59
	Analysis of NRI Priority-Setting Process,	60
	NRI Research Priorities,	61
	Funding History of the NRI’s Six Divisions,	61
	History of NRI Research Programs,	66
	Analysis,	66
	Research Opportunities,	69
	Summary Findings,	69
	Priority-Setting Process,	69
	Research Priorities,	71
6.	ORGANIZATIONAL AND FUNDING ISSUES	73
	Organizational Issues,	74
	Location in USDA,	74
	NRI Governance,	77
	Chief Scientist,	77
	Board of Directors,	78
	Organization,	78
	Funding Issues,	80
	Total NRI Funding,	80
	Size and Length of Grants,	81
	Overhead Rates,	84
	Summary Findings,	85
	Organization,	85
	Funding,	85
7.	RECOMMENDATIONS	87
	The NRI’s Mission,	88
	Research Accountability,	89
	Priority-Setting and Organization,	90
	Funding,	97
	Summary of Recommendations,	100
	Appendixes
	A. Section 1615 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990	103
	B. Survey on the US Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program	108
	C. External Views of the NRI	112
	D. Outline for Interviews (June 16, 1998) with USDA Professional Staff on Internal Workings of the NRI Program	141

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		E. Committee Members’ Experience with the National Research Initiative, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation		146
		F. NRI Applications Funded		147
		G. Contributions of NRI to Major Scientific Advances in Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources System		148
		H. Research Needs in Food, Fiber, and Natural Resources		170
		I. Grant Performance Follow-on for Quality Evaluation		181
		References		182
		About the Authors		185

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Tables, Figures, and Boxes

TABLES

Table 2–1	Aggregate Returns on Public Investments in Agricultural Research and Extension	24
Table 4–1	NRI Support of Postdoctoral Researchers	46
Table 4–2	Skills and Items Affected by Acquired Grant	47
Table 5–1	Summary of Congressionally-Mandated High-Priority Research Areas (1990)	63
Table 5–2	NRI Research Divisions and Stakeholders’ Needs	64
Table 5–3	Committee’s List of Emerging Research Issues	70
Table 6–1	NRI Funding Levels, 1991 to 1998	81
Table 6–2	History of Funding for Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources Research in the USDA (in millions of dollars)	82

FIGURES

Figure 2–1	Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources Research Expenditures in the United States, 1960–1996	27
Figure 2–2	Research Expenditures by Food and Fiber Industries 1960 and 1996	28
Figure 5–1	Congressional Appropriations for NRI Divisions and Special Initiatives, 1991–1997	64
Figure 5–2	NRI Programs, 1987–1998 (Gantt Chart)	67
Figure 6–1	Organization of Research at the US Department of Agriculture	75
Figure 6–2	Competitive Research Grants and Awards Management	76
Figure 6–3	National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Organization	79
Figure 7–1	Recommended Organization of USDA Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area	93
Figure 7–2	Recommended Organization of USDA Extramural Competitive Research Service (New NRI)	96

BOXES

Box 3–1	Ethanol from Biomass: An Example of a Significant Scientific Advancement from NRI Research	32
Box 3–2	Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome: An Example of a Significant Scientific Advancement from NRI Research	34
Box 3–3	Reduction in Fertilizer Use Profits Farmers and the Environment: An Example of NRI Research with Great Promise	35
Box 3–4	Rules and Guidelines for Panel Composition	37
Box 4–1	Is It Basic or Is It Applied?	43