Means and Strategies: To successfully accomplish the research activities under this goal, ARS will need the level of human, fiscal, physical, and information resources portrayed in the budget estimates for fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

Verification and Validation: ARS currently conducts a series of review processes designed to ensure the relevance and quality of its research work and to maintain the highest possible standards for its scientists. A more detailed description of the evaluation plans can be found in the introduction to this plan.

OBJECTIVE 5.1: Economic opportunity and technology transfer: Conduct "agricultural research ... to promote economic opportunity in rural communities and to meet the increasing demand for information and technology transfer throughout the United States agriculture industry."

STRATEGY 5.1.1: Rural development opportunities: Develop farming systems tailored to diverse agricultural production enterprises to enhance profits, sustainability, and environmental quality.

During FY 2002,ARS will

determine the effects of low-impact cultural inputs on growth and yield of medicinal plants, such as goldenseal and black cohosh, when grown under organic woodland conditions.

During FY 2003,ARS will

STRATEGY 5.1.2: Information access and delivery: Provide improved access to and dissemination of information to increase public knowledge and awareness of agricultural research, to aid technology transfer, and to speed up sharing of new knowledge.

During FY 2002, the ARS Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) will make additional efforts to use publications, websites, exhibits at trade shows, and other means to expand the public•s knowledge of how to access ARS technology. A new selection to the OTT website will be created to provide industry with a comprehensive review of past ARS research projects that have been transferred to the private sector to exemplify the technology transfer program.

During FY 2003,OTT will make additional efforts to integrate and communicate information to lay industry audiences about technological advances in ARS that help solve agricultural problems of national concern. Redesigning the OTT website will help provide industry with easier access to information through new features including easier content navigation, an integrated search feature that searches the entire site, generic agreement forms, contact lists for easier public accessibility to OTT staff, technologies by related subjects, featured items showcasing new ARS technology, and comprehensive reviews of ARS research projects that have been successfully transferred to the public.

During FY 2002, OTT will

further expand efforts to be actively involved in the planning and organization of several events designed for highlighting new ARS technologies and identifying industry partners for commercialization.

submit 80 new patent applications.

participate in 90 new CRADAs.

license 32 new products.

develop 70 new plant varieties for release to industry for further development and marketing.

During FY 2003,OTT will

further expand its efforts to be actively involved in planning and organizing special events and industry trade shows designed to highlight new ARS technologies and identify industry partners for commercialization. These efforts will include:

submitting 80 new patent applications.

participating in 70 new CRADAs.

licensing 32 new products.

developing 70 new plant varieties for release to industry for further development and marketing.

During FY 2002, ARS will

continue development of an Internet website to communicate to the public the National Invasive Species Management Plan and other activities relating to invasive species, through a partnership with the National Invasive Species Council.

enhance its partnership with local and State customers who are helping with the site selection, distribution of biological control agents, testing of other management techniques, and technology transfer to land managers, through OTT.

During FY 2003,ARS will

organize a national technology transfer symposium focusing on integrating ecological principles into weed management, through a partnership with the National Invasive Species Council and USDA-CSREES.

enhance the partnership, through OTT, with local and State customers who are helping with site selection, distribution of biological control agents, testing of other management techniques, and technology transfer to land managers.

work with the Extramural Agreements Division and the Office of International Research Programs, through OTT, to develop standardized agreements for work with foreign cooperators.

During FY 2002, ARS will implement its GPEA plan and submit quarterly accomplishment reports.

During FY 2003, ARS will implement its GPEA plan and complete the project by October 21, 2003.

STRATEGY 5.1.3: Commercialize research results: Develop technology transfer systems that lead to commercialization of research results by industry.

During FY 2002, OTT will expand efforts to identify groups to enhance the probability of identifying partners for commercialization of ARS technologies. ARS will give particular emphasis to organizations concerned with minority businesses, rural development, and conservation. A new program of targeted marketing of specific technologies will enhance the availability of information to potential partners.

During FY 2003,OTT will expand efforts to identify targeted groups to enhance the probability of identifying partners for help in commercializing ARS technologies. Particular emphasis will be given to organizations concerned with minority businesses, rural development, and conservation. A new targeted marketing program for specific technologies will enhance the availability of information to potential partners.