The participation of scientific societies in the
public policy decision-making process is critical. Thus, APS Council authorized
the formation of the National Plant Pathology Board (NPPB) in 1991 to provide
scientific input to the policy-making processes. The board was charged to
provide advice directly or through the APS president, to different societies,
organizations, and persons drafting legislative bills; provide drafts of APS
comments to APS officers to evaluate and transmit to agencies on issues such as
proposed rules and regulations of transgenic plants, safer or alternative
pesticides and research funding and administration thereof; and develop
position papers in policy areas of relevance to plant pathology. While the
intent of the charge to the NPPB has not significantly changed since 1991, the
globalization of agriculture and the economy has significantly affected the
breadth of the issues germane to policy-making in regard to plant pathology and
the rapidity with which responses are needed and expected. To enhance the
ability of the NPPB to fulfill the directive given by APS Council and
communicate to membership the activities and successes of the NPPB, council has
approved several changes in the NPPB.
The NPPB is now the Public Policy Board (PPB) to facilitate recognition of the
charge given to the board by council and to indicate that the breadth of APS
Council’s charge to the board is greater than what may occur at the national
level. For example, APS with the direction of the former NPPB was the first
international scientific organization to provide a response on the proposed
rules on biotechnology in Italy. The name PPB better indicates that the board
has an interest in policies at the local, national, and international levels
and also more directly states the charge given by APS Council in 1991 to the
board, which is to provide input on the “policy making process.”
Under the original charge given to the NPPB, there was no specific number of
members indicated. The current NPPB members were appointed by APS Council, and
the APS president, with advice from council, appointed the chair. Council
decided that the board should be composed of seven members with 5-year terms
renewable one time for a possible total of 10 years on the board. The new model
for the PPB is 11 members plus three ad hoc members, so that the PPB has a
greater breadth of scientific expertise, contact with more groups and
organizations that share a common need in public policy, provides more
opportunity for APS member participation, and activities are better shared with
APS membership. The 11 members will be composed of 8 members from the society
at-large and the presidential lineage (president, president-elect, and vice
president). The eight members from the society will be elected for 3-year
staggered terms (with the possibility of one reappointment), with two to three
new members being elected each year. The chair of PPB will be appointed by
council for a 2-year term (with the possibility of one renewal). The chair will
assign duties to the other members as needed. The three ad hoc members of the
PPB will be the executive vice president of APS, the director of OPAE, and a
member of APS staff designated by the executive vice president to facilitate
communication. In selecting members for PPB, consideration will be given to
assure representation of the many segments of the society that are directly
involved in or affected by activities in the charge of the PPB. This could
include, but is not limited to, issues related to legislation and regulation,
segments of the society such as industry, private practice, USDA-CSREES and
public service, and affiliate liaisons such as CAST (Council for Agricultural
Science and Technology) and CoFARM (Coalition for Funding Agricultural Research
Missions). While there will be a finite membership on PPB, it is envisioned
that alumni of PPB would complete projects assigned during their tenure on PPB
after their formal appointment on PPB expires, take on new projects of
interest, and/or work with the current board by attending the PPB meeting held
during the APS Annual Meeting.
he proposed structure and activities should result in greater opportunity for
participation in PPB activities by membership and better exchange of
information between membership and PPB. The current political environment
requires a nearly immediate reaction for input to be effective. PPB now meets
monthly by conference call, in the spring in Washington, DC to visit with
leaders in public policy, and at the APS Annual Meeting.
The need is for and the expectation is to respond quickly to emerging issues,
thus PPB is working to move toward an anticipatory perspective, so thoughtful
and complete responses can be provided when needed. While this approach will
not be failsafe, it should lessen the haste in which responses have at times
been made in the past. Thus, greater participation by APS membership is now
being sought to develop white papers on emerging issues in research and
extension in plant pathology, particularly in regard to funding, to sort and
prioritize information that comes to PPB and to facilitate communication
between other organizations and membership. A report of the activities of PPB
(formerly NPPB) for 2000 can be found at: http://www.apsnet.org/members/ppb/activities.asp.
A proposed PPB membership is being developed for consideration by APS Council
at the annual meeting. If you, or someone you know, is interested in serving on
PPB please contact the acting chair of PPB: O. W. Barnett, (E-mail: OW_BARNETT@NCSU.EDU, Fax: 919/515-7716)