USDA Calls for Nominations to Re-Chartered 2013-2015 Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

News Release:

 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2013 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a call for nominations for the 2013-2015 Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee.

This advisory committee examines the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and offers the Secretary of Agriculture advice on how USDA can tailor its programs to better meet the fruit and vegetable industry’s needs. The exchange of views and information between the industry and government improves understanding of the impact of USDA programs on the industry and contributes to those programs’ effective and efficient administration. The committee has been established under the authority of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-463).

The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint up to 25 representatives of the nation’s fruit and vegetable industry to serve terms of two or three years. Members represent the diverse spectrum of fruit and vegetable growers; shippers; wholesalers; brokers; retailers; processors; fresh cut processors; foodservice suppliers; state agencies involved in organic and non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables at local, regional and national levels; state departments of agriculture; and trade associations. USDA encourages nominees who reflect the full diversity of the fruit and vegetable industry, including business size, industry role, sex, race/ethnicity, age, location, and production methods. Board members are reimbursed for travel and associated expenses.

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator Anne Alonzo has made it clear that getting a committee in place is a priority. “I’ve talked to industry leaders and have heard their concerns about how important it is to have an advisory committee that reflects a diversity of perspectives and opinions,” said Alonzo, who stepped in to lead AMS in May. “Getting applications from qualified nominees is a key part of making sure the committee is able to get up and running as quickly as possible.”

Written nominations must be received on or before Dec. 26, 2013, and should be sent to Charles W. Parrott, Deputy Administrator, c/o Pamela Stanziani, Designated Federal Officer, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, USDA Room 2077-S, Stop 0235, Washington, D.C. 20250-0235. Nominations may also be faxed to (202) 720-0016 or e-mailed to pamela.stanziani@ams.usda.gov.

Advisory committee members will elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson during the first official meeting. As Deputy Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service Fruit and Vegetable Program, Parrott will serve as the committee’s executive secretary. Additional information on this advisory committee is available on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/fv.

Details of this notice will appear in the Nov. 25, 2013, Federal Register.

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Recruitment at ASSA Annual Meeting for the Islamic Development Bank Group's Young Professionals Program

The Islamic Development Bank Group is recruiting for their Young Professionals Program.The IDB Group is an international development and financial organization based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and is continuously seeking highly qualified candidates to join the Bank. The Young Professionals Program (YPP) is the strategic talent pipeline for the professional career in the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group. The Program is designed for outstanding young graduates who can significantly help the IDB Group to carry out its mission and attain its objectives. This Program enables each Young Professional (YP) to receive extensive exposure and experience of the IDB Group’s various activities through job rotations in different departments. Upon successful program completion, the participant will gradually climb up the professional grades in the IDB Group.They will have an exhibit booth, #113, at the Allied Social Science Association 2014 Annual Meeting held on 3-5 January 2014 at Philadelphia Marriot Downtown. They will be conducting preliminary interviews onsite for those meeting our minimum requirements. All are welcome to apply and visit their booth for a career discussion. To learn more about the program or to apply online visit:
http://www.isdbcareers.com/careers/isdb/Page.aspx?PageID=2520&YPP=1

Member Profile: Scott Irwin

Scott H. Irwin
Professor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

AAEA Activities:

• AAEA Fellow, 2013
• AAEA Executive Board, 2008-2011
• Confederation Task Force, 2007-2008
• Foundation Endowment Committee, 2006-2007
• Foundation Program Committee, 2005-2006
• Foundation Governing Board, 2004-2006
• Publication of Enduring Quality Award Committee, 2000-2003
• Professional Activities Committee, 1995-2000

Call for Nominations: 2014 AAEA Awards

The AAEA Awards Program recognizes excellence in the work of agricultural and applied economics. The Awards Committee, chaired by Jeffrey Dorfman of the University of Georgia, welcomes nominations for all award categories. Specific details on the criteria used to judge each award, as well as instructions on how to submit nominations for the award are available below.
The selection process for each award is administered by a subcommittee. The chairperson of each subcommittee receives all nominations and administers the review process. The chairperson will eliminate any conflicts of interest with members of the subcommittee during the evaluation process.
The deadline for nominations is February 3, 2014. All nomination materials shall be submitted via e-mail as a PDF file to the AAEA Business Office at info@aaea.org.

Restrictions

Except for the Publication of Enduring Quality Award, only one AAEA award can be received for essentially the same work. It is the nominator's responsibility to assure that no AAEA award (other than Master's thesis or PhD dissertation award) has already been received for the nominated work. Should a nomination be selected for more than one award in the same year (e.g. Journal Article and Research Discovery), the awardee(s) will be permitted to choose which award is received.
No member of the executive board—elected, appointed, or ex-officio—is eligible to participate as a principal recipient in competition for awards. The exclusion does not preclude participation if (s)he is a junior participant with respect to other(s) for whom exclusion from participation clearly would be a handicap.

Awards Criteria

Please consult the pages below to find specific information pertaining to each award.

• Distinguished Extension/Outreach Program Awards
• Distinguished Teaching Awards
• Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award
• Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award
• Quality of Research Discovery Award
• Quality of Communication Award
• Publication of Enduring Quality Award
• Bruce Gardner Memorial Prize for Applied Policy Analysis

22nd Annual Short Course in Global Trade Analysis

“Introduction to Applied General Equilibrium Analysis in a Multi-Region Framework”

August 2-8, 2014 | West Lafayette, IN, USA

The 22^nd Annual Short Course in Global Trade Analysis is being organized and hosted by the Center for Global Trade Analysis at Purdue University.

The objectives of this course are to introduce participants to a standardized framework for conducting global trade analysis in an applied general equilibrium setting, provide hands-on training with software that has been tailored to global trade analysis and give participants the opportunity to interact with economists working on global trade and resource use issues while becoming part of an international network.

The course will consist of two parts:

Part I: Web-based Modules (May 19 – July 20, 2014)

Part I is a series of modules delivered online. By working through this material in advance of the on-site course, participants will become familiar with the theory behind GTAP, the standard GTAP notation as well as the course software.

Part II: On-site intensive training (August 2-8, 2014)

Part II is an intensive, onsite short course consisting of a mix of daily lectures, lab assignments, and informal discussions designed to introduce participants to the basic features of the model and data base. These activities culminate in a major application based on one of the many extensions of the GTAP Model undertaken by small groups and presented on the final day of the course. Each group is assigned two instructors who are intimately familiar with their project to act as resource persons. Participants leave with the capability of designing, conducting, and analyzing their own simulations.

Applications for this course are currently being accepted on the GTAP website through February 16. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted. Demand for this course is very high; therefore, we strongly encourage early application. Please note that application does not guarantee acceptance.

For further information or to submit an application, please visit the course homepage on the GTAP website at: www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/events/Short_Courses/2014/.

17th Annual Conference on Global Economic Analysis

“New Challenges in Food Policy, Trade and Economic Vulnerability”

June 18-20, 2014 | Dakar, Senegal

The 17^th Annual Conference on Global Economic Analysis is being jointly organized by the Center for Global Trade Analysis and AGRODEP, facilitated by IFPRI.

The goal of the annual conference is to promote the exchange of ideas among economists conducting quantitative analysis of global economic issues. Particular emphasis will be placed on applied general equilibrium methods, data, and application. Related theoretical and applied work is also welcome.

The overall theme of the conference is "New Challenges in Food Policy, Trade and Economic Vulnerability" with sub-themes on:

· International Trade and Food Security

· International Trade and Finance

· Foreign Direct Investment in Land and Land Markets

· The Impact of Demographic Transition and Population Aging on the World Economy

· Trade, Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainable Development

· The Impact of the Internet and New Technological Innovations on Global Trade

· The Interaction between Global Trade, Poverty, Income Distribution, Inequality, and Development: The Integration of Africa into the World Trade System

· The Potential for Africa to "Feed the World"

Abstracts and organized session proposals are currently being accepted on the GTAP website through January 15. A number of scholarships will be available for presenters currently residing in Africa. Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on and following the review of their submitted abstract.

Registrations for this event will be accepted from early January through April 30.

For further information or to submit an abstract or session proposal, please visit the conference homepage on the GTAP website at: www.gtap.agecon.purdue.edu/events/conferences/2014/.

Renew Your AAEA Membership for 2014

You can now renew your AAEA membership for 2014 on the AAEA website (http://www.aaea.org/membership/). Simply log in to the My Account section to renew. Completing your renewal online saves you time by filling out most of the information for you automatically.

Alternatively, if you prefer to renew using the paper form, be sure to keep an eye on your mailbox as paper forms will be sent out in early December.

The benefits of your AAEA membership only last through the spring of 2014, so be sure to renew soon to ensure that you keep receiving services from AAEA throughout the upcoming year.