Read the 2026 NE Agenda and discover the priorities driving impact across the Northeast.

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agInnovation Northeast Meeting
September 22, 2026
Grand Junction, CO

In attendance:  Chris Smart (Chair, New York-Geneva), Beth Gugino (Vice Chair, Pennsylvania), Puneet Srivastava (Maryland), Toni DiTommaso (New York-Ithaca), Anton Bekkerman (New Hampshire), Lee Hecker (Maine), Asim Zia (Vermont), Jake Bowman (Delaware), Lynne McLandsborough (Massachusetts), Jorge Atiles (West Virginia), Lina Quesada (North Carolina / IR-4), Rick Rhodes (agInnovation Northeast), David Leibovitz (agInnovation Northeast)

Meeting Administration (Chris Smart)

• Chris called the meeting to order, and the group went through a series of introductions.

• The meeting agenda, along with minutes from the 6/3/2026 business meeting, were approved unanimously.

• agInnovation NE seeks an Officer-at-large, who will serve on the Executive Committee for expedited association decision making and will rotate into the Chair position in two years.  All directors are encouraged to consider this opportunity.

• agInnovation Science and Technology Committee seeks a northeast representative.

  • Puneet Srivastava was nominated to serve on the STC, and his nomination was approved unanimously.

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Visit with Lina Quesada, Executive Director, IR-4 Project

• Lina was hired as IR-4 Executive Director at North Carolina State University in 2026.

• The IR-4 database houses pesticide registrations for all specialty crops and contains 60 years of data from replicable trials but needs significant modernization.

• NRSP/agInnovation support for IR-4 would go toward the database – a shared resource that is public facing, mandated, and available for research across the system and beyond.

• Modernization of the database would entail replacing the 1990s Microsoft Access interface and digitizing of the entire IR-4 archive.

• Competitive funding will be used for IR-4 “research bursts” / shorter term initiatives.

Multistate Activities Committee Recommendations and Discussion (Puneet Srivastava, MAC Chair)

• NE_TEMP2605: Eastern White Pine as an Iconic North American Tree: Evolving Dynamics and Future Opportunities, 10/01/2026-09/30/2031 [AA: Lee Hecker, Maine]

  • This proposal was revised prior to the meeting in response to the MAC report, specifically tying it to the Hatch act, as a forestry-focused proposal.

• NE_TEMP2650: Building a Resilient Equine Economy: Sustainable Pathways for Horses and Communities, 10/01/2026-09/30/2031 [AA: Lee Hecker, Maine]

  • This proposal encompasses a broad range of equine topics, and the region considers it an important project to retain in the NE portfolio.

• NE_TEMP2640: Effective Management of Nematodes in Plant and Soil Health Systems, 10/01/2026-09/30/2031 [AA: Anton Bekkerman, New Hampshire]

  • There are concerns about the future of this project, as membership will be retiring during this forthcoming project cycle.  The group will be encouraged to recruit members or will face sunsetting in a few years.

• NE_TEMP2603: Advancing high tunnel specialty crop production, 10/01/2026-09/30/2031 [AA: Anton Bekkerman, New Hampshire]

  • Converting from a coordinating committee after encouragement from the association.

• Puneet introduced a motion on behalf of the MAC to approve the four projects listed above.  All four projects were approved unanimously.  These projects will be approved in NIMSS following the meeting.

• Reminder to Directors and faculty regarding NIFA Reporting System

  • When drafting project initiations, be explicit in tying them directly to agriculture and specifically how NRS projects will support American producers and farmers.

  • Use the NRS non-technical summary to incorporate this language on project initiations for multistate activities – the NIMSS projects won’t change.

• Projects running late or slow in NE approval cycle

  • agInnovation NE has built in a lot of flexibility into the approval process for multistate activities.  Some activities end up moving slowly through this process and are approved late in the cycle (late September).

  • While the association can approve projects up to 9/30, business officers need to have project approvals in place well in advance, for setting up salary and fringe for personnel.

  • For projects facing termination/renewal, the OED will step in and recommend sunsetting, recommend joining other projects, etc.

  • AAs are encouraged to elevate lagging multistate activities to the agInnovation OED to express urgency; the OED can lay out consequences on a case-by-case basis.

  • What should be the consequences for a project team running late?

  • What is this signaling to directors, if teams are not active in the development of multistate projects without heavy reminders?

    • Are Hatch multistate funds considered entitlement?  Are multistate projects not considered important?

    • Can awards for capacity supported research serve as an incentive/motivator?

    • The OED will consider a more structured approach to the agInnovation NE timeline – there should be some harder deadlines and consequences.

• Can we create a general “agInnovation” project that aligns with our priorities as defined in the Northeast Agenda?  Perhaps the intent could be to have representation from every station.

• Administrative Adviser Nominations

  • Chris Smart was nominated to serve as the Northeast AA on NRSP13 (Artificial Intelligence)

  • Joe Moritz was nominated to serve as the AA on NE2334 (Avian Diseases)

  • Both administrative adviser nominations were approved unanimously.

Executive Director Search (Chris Smart)

• Executive Director Rick Rhodes announced his retirement as of June 30, 2027.  The association is searching for a new ED.

• Search committee members include: Chris Smart, Beth Gugino, Lisa Townson, Jake Bowman, Puneet Srivastava, Jeanette Thurston (agInnovation North Central Executive Director), Ali Dunigan (Northeast Extension Directors Executive Director)

• The ED position announcement is live.  The announcement is posted on the association website, distributed to allied regional associations in research and extension, shared with NIFA and APLU, broadcast to professional networks, and featured in a paid ad on the Chronicle for Higher Education website.

• The application deadline is November 30, 2026.  All are encouraged to share the position announcement.

• Screening of applicants and preliminary Zoom interviews will be completed in mid December-early January.

• In person interviews will be held during the agInnovation Northeast Spring Meeting, Feb 8-10,2027, State College, Pennsylvania.

• The association needs to develop a rubric for evaluating candidate applications.

• Format for Zoom interviews (Search committee)

  • Two afternoons will be blocked off for multiple interviews, around January 4-5, 2027.

  • The committee will develop a standard set of questions for the Zoom interviews.  

  • Interviews will contain a 5-10 minute introduction, open time for expressing thoughts about position, a set of standard questions, and the opportunity for candidates to ask questions.

  • The in-person interview date (Feb 9) will be mentioned to candidates during the Zoom interviews.

• Format for in-person interviews (Full association)

  • Presentation, interview, Q&A

  • 3 candidate interviews will be conducted, all in one day.

Evaluation of the Office of the Executive Director

• The accomplishments report of the OED was shared with the group.  A comprehensive list of office operations, regional and national activities are listed.

• Points of pride for the OED this year were monthly association calls with great engagement from directors, along with the successful, inaugural, agInnovation Northeast Graduate and Post-Doctoral Forum.

• National activities have largely involved management of the agInnovation (National) financials; supporting both the Finance Committee, Chair’s budget development, and the agInnovation 501(c)(3).

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agInnovation Northeast: Informing the National Agenda – Rick Rhodes and Anton Bekkerman

• Anton Bekkerman will be nominated by the region as the next agInnovation Chair.  How might agInnovation NE inform the national agenda during the region’s leadership term in 2027-28?

• How are we making agriculture profitable for our producers?  What opportunities are there for value-added activities and products? (e.g. dairy, maple)

• With USDA Research, Extension, and Economics facing organization restructuring (https://www.usda.gov/ree/reorganization) and the ARS Beltsville facility closing, there will be no center for USDA research in the northeast region; a lost capacity.  Raleigh and Indianapolis serving as centers does not incorporate the wants, needs, and aspirations of the northeast.

• The NE is home to small farms, rural communities, and local food systems as well as well as the highest density of national food corporations – all elements that could be focus areas for agInnovation should be priorities for NIFA.

• We could consider exploring the expansion of markets – what can we do internationally with support from the Department of State?

• Rural-urban interface, urban agriculture, urban forests – all big in the NE.

• We can focus on a “big strength” as opposed to a “big problem.”  A big strength for the NE has been soil and water conservation, an example for the nation.  The NE is also a leader in nutrient management and research on cover crops.

• The 2027 agInnovation National Meeting will be held in Philadelphia, September 2027.  Tour opportunities should be considered in proximity to Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.

• Potential tour or speaker, Philadelphia city government has an Urban Agriculture plan that was last revised in 2023:  https://www.phila.gov/media/20230421153052/Philadelphia-Urban-Agriculture-Plan.pdf.  

• Calls to action – what can the Northeast roll out?

  • Panel with high level officials including state secretaries of ag?  Highlight examples of states working together?  Calls to action for states to work better together?

  • Coalition building – building a resource base (money, personnel, infrastructure)

  • Regional workforce development efforts

• Anton is committed to gathering input from the region to take a regional approach to setting priorities for agInnovation.  All are asked to consider potential initiatives for Anton’s term.

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agInnovation Issues Discussion – Rick Rhodes, Executive Director

• Save the dates:

  • agInnovation Late Winter (Spring) Meeting and Executive Director Candidate Interviews – Feb 8-10, 2027 (State College, PA)

  • Joint Session and Grad/Postdoc Forum – May 4-6, 2027 (Cape May, NJ) (All are asked to consider nominating students to serve on grad forum planning team)

  • agInnovation Annual Meeting, NE is the host – Sep 26-30, 2027 (Philadelphia, PA)

• Government affairs, elections, and our operations

  • agInnovation has prepared two “asks” that will be used to address congress according after the midterms, depending on the results of elections.

  • The US Office of Science Technology and Policy “Golden Age” report does not mention support of capacity funds or basic research in a meaningful way; there is a single focus on a “venture investment” strategy to fund research.

  • What are the expectations for faculty that receive capacity funds?

  • What message should we share about capacity funds with different audiences?  Central administration, legislators, the general public?  

  • Inherent strengths of capacity funds include 1:1 match, and subsequent leveraging of funds for other opportunities.

  • Capacity funds serve as block grants for states to be more local in their research operation.

  • Will a change in Congress after the midterm elections impact the research community?  What initiatives or messaging can we push through before end of CY 2026?

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The meeting adjourned at 12:04 pm MT.