The Texas A&M University System

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station

Mission

The mission of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) is to conduct statewide research programs for the benefit of consumers and the agricultural industry; maintain and enhance the environment and natural resources; ensure a safe, wholesome and affordable supply of agricultural products; and contribute to the state’s economic viability, especially in rural areas.

TAES is a state agency administered by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. It is the only public agency in Texas with a statewide mission to carry out research programs in the agricultural, environmental and life sciences.

TAES research programs reach across the state through 13 research and extension centers; 15 academic departments of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University and five academic departments in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M; and agricultural components of other universities within the A&M System and across the state, as well as related System agencies. Centers and institutes within TAES address complex interdisciplinary research questions and cross-cutting technology development needs. In addition, regulatory functions support the feed, fertilizer and honeybee industries in Texas.

Priorities and Goals

Investment in research in agricultural, natural resources and the life sciences is critical to the future of Texas, the nation and the world. The impact of investments in TAES by the citizens of Texas can be identified in numerous ways, including increased economic return to the state; rapid progress in ensuring healthier foods and the prevention of food- and insect-borne diseases; increasing efficiency of agricultural production, including more efficient use of water; and more effective strategies for protecting and enhancing the state’s natural resources.

The challenges facing the citizens of Texas, the nation and the world are becoming more complex. These include threats of terrorism; population growth and industrial expansion that put pressure on the state’s natural resources; the changing global environment; the declining base in our rural communities; the changing structure of land ownership; and the growing demand for state-of-the-art technologies, systems and management practices to meet simultaneous demands placed on natural resources, production agriculture and the urban community. Continued investment in the state’s capacity to conduct significant research in agriculture, the natural resources and life sciences is necessary if we are to meet these challenges.

TAES has the following agency goals for FY 2006:

Focus TAES Research Activities

• Develop a science roadmap to focus research goals and objectives
• Develop performance measures for each of the goals and objectives contained within the science roadmap that are in keeping with measures required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Develop a process for unit heads to report progress made toward the goals and objectives of the research roadmap

Engage in Active Strategies for Funding

• Develop new strategies to pursue federal agencies and initiatives using new partnerships with nontraditional agencies
• Develop a strategy to aggressively pursue funding from private donors to support TAES activities

Manage Resources Efficiently

• Restructure TAES to improve management of programs and operations
• Conduct formal review of all TAES-based institutes and centers to determine program direction and return on investment

Coordinate Activities with A&M System Partners

• Expand and formalize research collaborations with all five System universities that have agricultural programs through joint appointments with TAES and through inclusion in the federal initiative process
• Develop statewide programming and collaboration for resource-intensive research programs

Communicate with All Stakeholders, Internally and Externally

• Conduct regional meetings with key members of the state legislature, stakeholders and TAES personnel to enhance relationships and to implement strategies to enhance funding
• Examine the composition of all stakeholder advisory groups within TAES and restructure as appropriate to maximize their involvement and the agency’s ability to respond to stakeholder needs

Commentary on Top Priorities

Diversity

The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station is committed to providing equal opportunity and access to programs, services and employment opportunities throughout the agency. To carry out this commitment, each employee is responsible for creating an environment that ensures that individuals are treated with dignity and respect and that everyone is afforded equal treatment under the law.

In further response to this commitment, TAES has developed an affirmative action program that provides policies, practices and procedures that ensure that all applicants and employees are treated equitably. It is a TAES belief that following these practices is an important part of the attainment of excellence.

The agency is working closely with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M in support of the university’s faculty reinvestment plan, of which enhancing diversity is a key programmatic goal. As part of this broader strategy, TAES will be developing a strategy to target, recruit and retain a more diverse workforce, including faculty.

Research Priorities

As a result of recent budgetary constraints and the need for greater efficiency, TAES has pursued several strategies designed to maximize its resources. Among those is the development of a science “roadmap” giving direction to the destinations—or goals—the agency wants to achieve.

Developed with input from agency scientists and other stakeholders, the science roadmap will enable TAES to focus its resources on the issues of highest importance, thereby increasing efficiency while fulfilling its mission to serve the citizens of Texas. For the purpose of the TAES science roadmap, agriculture is defined broadly to include multiple uses of rural and urban lands for production of livestock, crops, wildlife, forages and forest products, as well as for landscapes and recreation.

All three goals of the science roadmap listed below, as well as the agency’s research and technology development objectives for each goal, are vital and equally significant to ensuring a positive future for Texas and its citizens.

Sustain Healthy Ecosystems and Conserve Natural Resources

Objectives:

• Protect water quality and increase the amount of water available for urban and rural use through new technologies and approaches
• Sustain and efficiently use land resources and ensure air quality in the production of food and noncrop foods through improved management systems
• Minimize the detrimental effects of environmental changes on natural resources, including pollution from waste production

Enhance the Competitiveness and Prosperity of Urban and Rural Agricultural Industries

Objectives:

• Improve agricultural production and efficiency through advances in animal and plant breeding and health
• Add marketability and value to raw agricultural products through new technologies
• Enhance sales and trade of agricultural products through consumer-guided marketing and economic strategies
  

Improve Public Health and Well Being

Objectives:

• Prevent chronic illnesses through proper nutrition and promotion of healthy lifestyles
• Use risk analysis to minimize the impacts of food-borne hazards and biosecurity threat agents
• Prevent transmission of human disease agents through insect/pest vector control

The development of a science roadmap and performance measures for each goal and objective of the roadmap has been outlined as an agency goal for FY 2006 to focus TAES research activities.

External Funding

With approximately 88 percent of TAES appropriated funds used to support salaries for faculty and staff, the acquisition of grants and contracts is vital to the agency being able to achieve its statewide research mission. Over the past five years (FY 2000 through FY 2004) the dollar amount of grants and contracts awarded to TAES scientists increased 33 percent, and in FY 2005, approximately 31.1 percent of the agency’s total revenue was derived from grants and contracts.

TAES does not receive tuition or tuition-related fees, so the agency must continue to develop new sources of funding to support its programs. The development of new sources of grant and contract funding from federal agencies and from private donors has been outlined as an agency goal in FY 2006.

Fiscal Stability

Financial performance ratio trends indicate that TAES continues to be in a strong and stable financial condition with no major concerns. External sources of funding continue to grow each year, and while federal and state appropriated dollars have declined slightly in recent years, this reduction has not caused a major overall reduction in the ability of the agency to perform its primary function of agricultural research.

Operational Efficiencies

The TAES administrative cost ratio is among the most efficient in the A&M System. This is in major part due to the consolidation of certain administrative services within the Agriculture Program. This includes the fiscal, human resources, contracts and grants, and property areas.

Other (TAES Support for A&M System Universities and Agencies)

As an agency with the statewide mission to conduct research in agricultural, natural resources and the life sciences, TAES supports joint faculty positions within the A&M System (Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Tarleton State University and West Texas A&M University) and other universities (Texas Tech University) as well as System agencies (Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas Forest Service) where joint appointments make fiscal and programmatic sense. As part of the partnership with these universities and agencies, TAES annually invests resources to provide start-up funding, and assist in the acquisition of support staff, graduate assistantships, research equipment and other requirements.