Arizona Cooperative Extension Proposal Requests - Working Group Award

Title:		Cross-commodity Research & Extension Program
Program Area(s):		Plant Systems
County affiliate(s):		Cochise - Rob Call Graham - Randy Norton La Paz - Eric Norton Maricopa - Erin Taylor Mohave - Rob Grumbles Pinal - Rick Gibson Yuma - Barry Tickes Yuma - Kurt Nolte
On-campus or Experiment Station affiliate(s):		ABE - Gene Giacomelli ABE - Pedro Andrade AREC - George Frisvold AREC - Russell Tronstad AREC - Trent Teegerstrom Entomology - David Byrne Entomology - John Palumbo Entomology - Peter Ellsworth Extension Administration - Ed Martin Maricopa AC - Al Fournier Maricopa AC - Bob Roth Maricopa AC - Channah Rock Maricopa AC - Sam Wang OALS - Barron Orr Plant Sciences - Glenn Wright Plant Sciences - Jorge Fonseca Plant Sciences - Mary Olsen Plant Sciences - Michael Matheron Plant Sciences - Michael Ottman Plant Sciences - William McCloskey SWES - James Walworth SWES - Jeffrey Silvertooth SWES - Paul Brown
Lead Faculty:		Maricopa - Erin Taylor
This Working Group was previously funded:		Yes
	University fiscal year:	FY1980
This Working Group is connected to a State Initiative:		No
	Which one?
Budget amount requested (up to $2,000.00):		$1,500.00
Budget amount approved (up to $2,000.00):		$750.00
Situation/issue: Situation and Environment: Effective communication across commodities (and disciplines) is increasingly essential to the development of effective and relevant research and Extension programs in Arizona. Pest management issues, soil and water management, economics, seed production, and labor issues (among others) demand attention across multiple agricultural crops and systems. The Cross-commodity Research & Outreach Program (CROP) working group was initially formed in 2000 to address the need for timely communication of scientific information that spans across both crops and disciplines, and has been very positively received by agricultural clientele. The group’s major goal is to anticipate and proactively resolve problems unique to cross-commodity interactions. The existence of this group has helped to break down traditional boundaries between disciplines and commodities and has increased the dialog between stakeholders and Extension personnel. This proposal seeks funding to facilitate ongoing communication activities of this important group, including CROP advisory meetings, which provide critical stakeholder input to help identify, prioritize, and address important interdisciplinary issues in Arizona agriculture. This will help to ensure that Cooperative Extension can remain responsive to the ever-changing needs and priorities of Arizona’s crop-producing clientele.
Inputs including budget: Inputs: Time and energy of working group members. Time invested in ACIS website. Funding requested ($1,500).
Outputs: Outputs: Activities: CROP Advisory Group meeting (Date: To be announced) Stakeholder discussion meetings and internal workgroup planning meetings Extension meetings will be impacted by cross-commodity issues and priorities. Frequent communications via email, conference calls, etc. Posting of critical crop/pest management information on ACIS website. Past CROP Working Group activities have resulted in several important products, including the development and dissemination of cross-commodity pesticide use guidelines, the establishment of the extensively-used Arizona Crop Information Site (ACIS), and the formation of the Arizona Pest Management Center (APMC). Education: We anticipate the educational outcome of this working group will be Extension meetings related to cross-commodity issues. Additional educational products produced will depend upon grower’s needs as identified through ongoing dialog facilitated by this group. Participation: U of A team members listed above will engage stakeholders representing all agricultural counties in discussion of cross-commodity issues. Clientele served by this working group include producers (all crops), commodity groups and organizations, PCAs, county Extension personnel, and allied agricultural industries.
State at least one educational product: Education: We anticipate the educational outcome of this working group will be Extension meetings related to cross-commodity issues. Additional educational products produced will depend upon grower’s needs as identified through ongoing dialog facilitated by this group. Participation: U of A team members listed above will engage stakeholders representing all agricultural counties in discussion of cross-commodity issues. Clientele served by this working group include producers (all crops), commodity groups and organizations, PCAs, county Extension personnel, and allied agricultural industries.
Short-term outcomes: Short-term: The activities of this working group are expected to increase awareness and knowledge of important cross-commodity issues among stakeholders; to facilitate ongoing input from stakeholders on ever-change issues and needs across crops; and to enhance interdisciplinary communication among research and Extension personnel system-wide, including enhanced county agent interactions.
Medium-term outcomes: Medium-term: Working group efforts are expected to improve pest management practices and address other needs and issues that span crops and disciplines; this should lead to improved yields and increased client satisfaction. Enhanced interaction among interdisciplinary Extension personnel across campus, research centers and counties is expected to lead to additional projects and interactions.