Attendees: Eric Young, Chair; Dick Heimsch, W. Reg.; Mike Chippendale, NC Reg.; Al Parks, 1890's; Frank Green, ARS; Bill Trumble, NE Reg.; Ted Alder, ECOP

1. ECOP/ESCOP Farm Crisis and Rural Communities Task Force Representative
   • Virginia Clark was chosen as first choice to represent ESCOP-PC on this Task Force. Young will contact her. (Note: Virginia has agreed to do this)
   • Bill Trumble volunteered to be our rep, if Virginia declines.

2. SAES Workshop, Sep. 26-28, 2000, New Orleans
   • The Directors Workshop will again include a session on selecting research priorities, however this year it will concentrate on projected priorities for 2005-2010.
   • Small groups should review the current list of priorities and suggest any minor changes, then project into the future
   • Should include food, agriculture and environment aspects in presentations prior to small group discussions.
   • Someone within system could speculate on future of food and agriculture system, i.e. NASA or EPA or NOAA scientists
   • Small group charge / question -
     • What will be the key components of our research agenda in 2005-2010?
   • Future priorities should still be sorted under the 5 National Goals
   • Suggested small group process, if agenda schedule will allow -
     • 1st segment (45 min.) — review list with eye to future — what current priorities will still be high priority in 2005-2010?
     • 2nd segment (45 min) — what new items will be high priorities in our research agenda that aren’t on the current list?
     • Prioritize 2005-2010 list, using lunch hour, if necessary

3. Evaluation of ESCOP structure
   • Because of recent changes in ESCOP committees, this committee charge will be delayed.
   • The evaluation tool for doing this will be discussed at our fall meeting, with the intent of using it during winter/spring 2001.

4. Future agenda Items
   • Consider future (2005-2010) elements of research agenda, developed at Fall Workshop, that might overlap with ECOP’s interests and choose those that would be best done jointly.
   • Work with future research agenda list to flesh-out individual items and get input from external constituents and futurists.
     • Consider holding a workshop around a particular high priority area that is not on the current list.
   • Discuss role and expectations of experiment stations partnering outside USDA
   • Discuss future trends and implications of intellectual property rights issues and policies.

5. Next meeting
   • The next ESCOP-PC meeting will be held in conjunction with the next ECOP-SPC/ESCOP-PC Joint Planning Committee meeting October 4-6 in Mystic, CT
   • ESCOP-PC will meet October 4 from 1:00 - 5:00 and October 6 from 8:00 - 12:00; the Joint Planning Committee will meet on October 5 from 8:00 - 5:00.
   • Nancy Bull (ECOP-SPC, Univ. of Conn.) is making the local arrangements.