--MINUTES-National Clean Plant Network – Fruit trees
Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee Meeting
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Held at Washington State University – I.A.R.E.C.
NCPN Attending:
 Lynnell Brandt, E.W. Brandt & Sons / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Ken Eastwell, Washington State University / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Christel Harden, Dept of Plant Industry, SC / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Margarita Licha, USDA-APHIS-PPQ / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Nancy Osterbauer, OR Dept Ag / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Joseph Postman, USDA-NCGR / NCPN-GB
 Erich Rudyj, USDA-APHIS / NCPN Coordinator
 Simon Scott, Clemson University / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Bill Shane, MI State Univ. / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Keith Striegler / NCPN Communications Lead
 Ruth Welliver, PA Dept Ag / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Tom Wessels, WA State Dept Ag / NCPN-GB
 Robert Woolley, Dave Wilson Nursery / NCPN-FT Tier 2
NCPN Absent:
 Phil Baugher, Adams County Nursery / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Chalmers Carr, Titan Farms / NCPN-FT Tier 2
 Marc Teffeau, ANLA / NCPN-FT Tier 2
Guests:
 Ken Adams, Willow Drive nursery
 Maher Al Rwahnih, Foundation Plant Services, UC-Davis
 Gary Ballard, CPC-NW, WSU
 Trent Ball, Agribusiness Consultants, Inc.
 Alex Brody, Burchell Nursery
 Mike Colvin, CDFA
 Mike Cunningham, Foundation Plant Services, UC-Davis
 Brooke Edmunds, OR Dept Ag
 Chuck Fleck, Fowler Nurseries
 Ray Folwell, Agribusiness Consultants, Inc.
 Wanda Gale, Summit Tree Sales
 Sarah Gettys, PA Dept Ag
 Lauri Guerra, WA State Dept Ag
 Bill Howell, Northwest Nursery Improvement Institute
 Dave Johnson, Missouri Dept Ag
 Tammy Jones, PA Dept Ag
 Richard Kaitany, Michigan Dept Ag
 Bob Ludekens, L.E. Cooke Nursery
 Adib Rowhani, Foundation Plant Services, UC-Davis
 Dick Snyder, C & O Nursery
 Gary Snyder, C & O Nursery
 James Susaimuthu, CPC-NW, WSU
 Mike Willett, NW Hort Council
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Chair Ken Eastwell called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.
Introduction to CPC-NW
After introductions, Ken Eastwell explained the structure of the Clean Plant Center – Northwest that was
created in August 2011 to capture some administrative and spending efficiencies. It represents the
foundation programs for hops, grapes and fruit trees as well as the WSU ELISA Testing Laboratory. A
tour of the laboratory, greenhouse and field facilities followed, including infrastructural improvements
that were made possible because of NCPN-FT support.
NCPN and Agriculture funding
Erich Rudyj presented a summary of NCPN structure, funding and distribution between the specialty
crops. He outlined several critical issues that the NCPN must address in the near future including the
budgetary uncertainty.
Mike Willet discussed the importance of specialty crops in U.S. agriculture and critical role that the
Specialty Crop Alliance played in directing needed funding to specialty crop projects in the U.S.
Updates
Erich Rudyj and Robert Woolley briefly described the function and structure of the Industry Leadership
Committee to help provide a unified feel and look across the separate Specialty Crop Committees and
their operations. They will assist in providing a uniform message and principles across the network. The
Industry Leadership Committee will initiate discussions of some of the pending issues in the next few
weeks. Robert Woolley is the NCPN-FT representative on the Industry Leadership Committee.
Ken Eastwell announced that a Program Coordinator has been successfully recruited for the NCPN-FT
and would join Washington State University on April 1, 2012.
Ray Folwell and Trent Ball of Agribusiness Consultants were introduced. At the request of the NCPN-FT
Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee, they were retained and will be assisting the NCPN-FT in developing a
business plan. They will be contacting the Tier 2 members for direction and input.
Liaison with outreach and education
Bill Shane introduced the discussion. It was recognized that we need to address several audiences. An
important target audience is the grower community. Non-commercial growers of plant genera
represented by the NCPN-FT are also critical for disease control. Several avenues were presented for
disseminating information about the benefits of the NCPN including distribution of NCPN-FT pamphlets,
consumer fact sheets, getting links in the Good Fruit Grower and similar publications. It was suggested
that we should pursue the idea of having a section introduced into the Master Gardener’s Handbook to
promote the concept of clean plants for planting.
Funding priorities for the 2011 RFA
Ken Eastwell distributed a composite chart that showed the funding categories and priorities developed
by the proposal pre-review subcommittee last year. At the February 3, 2012 NCPN-FT Tier 2
Teleconference, the committee decided to use the existing spreadsheet.
ACTION ITEM: The Chair will distribute by email to the Tier 2 committee the complete spreadsheet
that was developed by the pre-proposal review committee last year for review before the RFA is
issued.
Contribution of industry and states to the clean plant certification system
Sarah Gettys presented the results of her study. She had requested information from eight states that
have certification programs for fruit trees. Basic information from each state about the cost of the
certification program and sources of funds used to operate the programs was gathered. Preliminary
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data indicate that the states and the industry contribute approximately $1.5M annually to certification
programs.
Report of the Selection Committee
Ken Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee had met via teleconference on Friday, March 9.
Several recommendations were made at that meeting to be presented to the Tier 2 Specialty Crop
Committee of the NCPN-FT. He reported that Selection Committee unanimously passed a resolution to
nominate the current incumbents for another term on the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee
(Tier 2).
MOTION
Christel Harden moved that the Tier 2 accept the nominations presented by the Selection Committee.
Seconded by Robert Woolley.
Passed unanimously by voice vote.
Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee has unanimously passed a resolution to recommend
expanding the size of the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee by the addition of two industry
representatives and the Charter be amended accordingly.
MOTION
Nancy Osterbauer moved that the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee be expanded by the
addition of two industry representatives.
Seconded by Lynnell Brandt.
Passed unanimously by voice vote.
Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee has unanimously passed a recommendation that the
effective date of appointments to the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee be set to September 1.
The rationale being that based on the three year history of the NCPN funding cycle, the membership of
the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee could change just as the Tier 2 committee was starting the
important process of reviewing proposals.
MOTION
Nancy Osterbauer moved that the effective date of appointments to the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty
Crop Committee be set to September 1.
Seconded by Ruth Welliver.
Passed unanimously by voice vote.
Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee had recommended that if the expansion of the Tier 2
was approved, that the nomination of the two new industry representatives should be accepted from
the entire Tier 2.
MOTION
Eastwell moved that nominations for the new seats be accepted from all current members of Tier 2
until April 1 for the two new industry positions and that after nominations close, the final selection
will be made by email vote.
Seconded by Nancy Osterbauer
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee advised that the selection of terms dates be selected
carefully to help preserve continuity of the Tier 2 and that a three year appointment for the new
representatives would help stagger the turnover of the committee.
MOTION
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Nancy Osterbauer moved that since the NCPN-FT Specialty Crop Committee now consists of three
State regulatory personnel, six industry and three university personnel, that the term for the positions
be for three years to maximize institutional memory. Each year, one regulatory, one university and
two industry member positions would be available for re-election.
Seconded by Ruth Welliver.
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
Eastwell pointed out that there are existing four year term appointments and that a decision would be
needed on how to adjust the term dates.
MOTION
Eastwell moved that the Selection Committee be reconvened to recommend the term dates for
existing and new members to insure adequate staggering of turnover.
Seconded by Lynnell Brandt.
Passed unanimously be show of hands.
Eastwell reported that the Selection Committee had recommended that the nominations for Chair and
Vice-Chair positions should be received from the full NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee.
MOTION
Eastwell moved that nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair be received by the Selection Committee
from the Tier 2 membership by April 1.
Seconded by Lynnell Brandt.
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
ACTION ITEM: Eastwell will send out notices to the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee
requesting nominations.
The designation of industry representatives as nursery or producer might be too restrictive, and make it
difficult to recruit the best individuals to serve on the committee.
MOTION
Lynnell Brandt moved that at least two of the six industry members on Tier 2 will represent
production nurseries and two will represent production growers.
Seconded by Robert Woolley.
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
Lynnell Brandt raised the potential perceived conflict of interest because the Chair of the committee is
associated with a funded center. Nancy Osterbauer pointed out that everyone on the Tier 2 could be
perceived as having a conflict of interest.
MOTION
Nancy Osterbauer moved that in order to codify the existing practice of the funded centers being
excluded from influencing funding decisions, that the Charter be amended as follows:
Section 6diii. Any committee member that submits a proposal for funding from the NCPN is recused
from all discussions and review of proposals.
Seconded by Christel Harden
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
ACTION ITEM: Ken Eastwell will edit the current version of the Charter to reflect the above changes
and send the draft out to the NCPN-FT Tier 2 Specialty Crop Committee for review and ratification of
the changes.
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Related to the potential conflict of interest, discussion centered on the precept that by clearly defining
goals and responsibilities of administrative positions, the perception of conflict of interest could be
lessened.
MOTION
Ruth Welliver moved that a subcommittee be established to detail the responsibilities of the Chair,
Vice-Chair and Program Coordinator and incorporate these descriptions in the Charter of the NCPN-FT.
Seconded by Lynnell Brandt.
Passed unanimously by show of hands.
ACTION ITEM: Eastwell will distribute to the Tier 2 committee the portion of the job description of the
Program Coordinator that deals with NCPN-FT Tier 2 activities.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
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