This proposal seeks to assist with the design, development, and implementation of a Multi-State On-Farm Partnership. The broad and diverse groups forming this partnership make the initial planning of this effort critical for future success. Consensus on core issues including defined objectives, goals and operating governance are vital, but long-term success also lies in buy-in that requires recognizable branding, publicized partners, and delivery mechanisms. In order to establish the foundation of a Multi-State On-Farm Partnership, the following steps encompassing these points will be implemented:
1. Establish agreement and a collaborative set of operating principles among partners on leadership, priorities, governance and next steps.
2. Based on Step 1, develop a cooperative primary leadership structure representing the array of key science, industry, non-profit, and agency stakeholders.
3. Establish subgroups or working teams to develop further proposals, structure, standards, and/or guidelines that enable the formation of the network; these might include:
a. Science Team: Identification of crucial and impactful research targets with national and regional importance. Interpretation of experimental results.
b. Field Operations Team: Logistics of field trials and design implementation
c. Data Team: Data management needs assessment, design database structures and specifications, create reporting guidelines, data analysis approach and infrastructure
d. Communication Team: design education and messaging approach, develop governing policies for interpreting and conveying trial results.
e.Funding Team: Development of funding for business, administrative, and infrastructure components as well as key regional/national experiments
4. Implement the formation of the network based on the foundations established in steps 1-3.