U.S. Dept. Agriculture &Agricultural Research Service

Rob GriesbachDeputy Assistant AdministratorOffice of Technology Transfer

Research, Education, and EconomicsCatherine Woteki Under-Secretary

Agricultural Research Service ARSEdward Knipling Administrator

National Institute of Food & Agriculture NIFARoger Beachy Director

Economic Research Service ERSKatherine Smith Administrator

National Agricultural Statistics Service NASS Cynthia Clark Administrator

ARS Mission To conduct research to develop & transfer solutions

to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to:

ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products

assess the nutritional needs of Americans

sustain a competitive agricultural economy

enhance the natural resource base and the environment

provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole

ARS Research Priorities

Enhance and Protect the Food Supply

Agriculture to Conserve Natural

Resources & the Environment

Food Safety and Nutrition

Agriculture to Fuel America

Infrastructure and Capacity

Sustainable World Food Production

Animal Production Natural Resources Crop Production Human Nutrition • Water Quality & Management

• Soil Resource Management

• Air Quality

• Global Change

• Rangeland, Pasture & Forages

• Manure & Byproduct Utilization

• Integrated Agricultural Systems

• Bioenergy & Energy Alternatives

• Plant, Microbial & Insect Germplasm Conservation & Development

• Plant Biological & Molecular Processes

• Plant Diseases

• Crop Protection & Quarantine

• Crop Production

• Methyl Bromide Alternatives

ARS National Programs

• Food Animal Production

• Animal Health

• Arthropod Pests of Animals and Humans

• Aquaculture

• Human Nutrition

• Food Safety (animal & plant products)

• Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products

ARS Profile

1,200+ projects

2,500+ scientists & post docs

6,500 + support employees

100+ laboratories

~$1 billion annual budget

ARS Research Quality Assurance

The Farm Bill of 1998 (PL105-185) requires:• ARS research is peer-reviewed every 5 years• Majority of panelists are external to ARS

The Peer-Review Process:• Managed by ARS Office of Scientific Quality

Review (OSQR)• Peer Panels evaluate research project plan• Emphasizes scientific merit • Does not approve or allocate project funding• Provides advice to improve each project plan

Relevance Planning and Priority Setting: Sources of Input

ARS Program

& Budgeting Priorities

Executive Branch(OMB, OSTP, USDA,

other Federal agencies)

Agency Scientists & Managers

Customers, Partners,

Stakeholders, & Advisory Boards

Scientific Community

Congress

Relevance

Research Program Planning & Priority Setting

customers, stakeholders, partners

ARS National Program Cycle

Relevance

Quality

ARS National Program Cycle

Scientific MeritPeer review of new research projects

Relevance

Performance

Quality

Project Implementation

ARS National Program Cycle

Annual Reportsposted ARS Web Site

Relevance

Performance

Quality(Prospective)

Quality(Retrospective)

Program Review & Assessment

Partners Customers Stakeholders

ARS National Program Cycle

Relevance

Performance

Quality(Prospective)

Quality(Retrospective)

ARS National Program Cycle

Base fundingreallocationto priorities

Multidisciplinary teams

Long term, sustainable commitment

Responsive to all stakeholders

Capable of rapid response & resource reallocation

ARS Research

HolisticApproach

Diary CattleImprovement

Inbreeding Genetics 1906 George Rommel1915 Sewall Wright

1918-1958 1,200 bulls leased

1935

1959 IBM 705 computer replaces >100 employees & >100 adding machines

5

10

15

20

25

40 50 60 70 80 90 00

Year

Cow

s (m

illio

ns)

4,000

7,000

10,000

13,000

16,000

19,000

Milk yield

(pounds/cow)

Bovine SNP50 Chip54,00 markers$25,000 3 years vs. $150 at birth70% vs 35% efficiency

Science In Your Shopping Cart

Beltsville Turkey Concentrated frozen orange juice Seedless grapes Shrinkproof wool Food Pyramid – Nutrient Database Roma tomatoes 1st blueberry hybrid Dehydrated potatoes DEET Perma-press fabrics New Guinea Impatiens Lactose-free Milk Glenn Dale azaleas Super-absorbents for diapers Leather tanning

Principals ofTechnology Transfer

James A. Poulos, III Technology Transfer Coordinator

Office Technology Transfer Beltsville, MD

Grotto March 21, 2011

Technology Transfer Goals of ARS

• Transfer of technology is primary objective, not income

• Facilitate research partnerships & adoption of federal research outcomes for broad U.S. public benefit

• Protect (patent) intellectual property primarily if it enhances technology transfer,

• Enhance U.S. economic development, global competition, and sustainable economic security

Technology Transfer Mechanisms

• Scientific publications, conferences, workshops, field days

• Public germplasm releases• National Agricultural Library • Information Staff - ARS public affairs,

Ag Research Magazine, news releases, exhibits, web page.

• Transferring research materials to non-USDA scientists

• Research Partnerships CRADAs• Patenting / Licensing

Cooperative Research and Development

Agreement CRADA• partners a Govt. lab scientist with an

outside partner• No Direct funding to Govt lab • Mutually beneficial research• Within goals of ARS• Expected outcome is intellectual

property

Cooperative Research and Development

Agreement CRADA• Can lead to an exclusive license in

technology • Confidentiality up to five years • A positive weighing factor in award

of USDA SBIR• Patent expertise

To partner with economic development entities to enhance the effectiveness & impact of technology transfer.

To enhance the flow of ARS technologies to small businesses & encourage technology-based economic development.

ATIP Network

David Nicholson - PWA510-559-5641David.Nicholson@ars.usda.gov

Bryan Kaphammer - NPA / SPA970-229-5528Bryan.Kaphammer@.ars.usda.gov

Renee Wagner - MWA309-681-6565Renee.Wagner@ars.usda.gov

Victor Chavez - NAA215-233-6610Vic.Chavez@ars.usda.gov

Thomas Valco - Cotton Technology662-686-5255CTTEC@ars.usda.gov

Donald Nordlund - SAA / MSA706-546-3496Don.Nordlund@.ars.usda.gov

James A. Poulos, III- BA301-504-6421Jim.Poulos@ars.usda.gov

David Nicholson – PWA

Renee Wagner - MWA309-681-6565Renee.Wagner@ars.usda.gov

Bryan Kaphammer - NPA / SPA

Thomas Valco - Cotton Technology

Victor Chavez - NAA215-233-6610Vic.Chavez@ars.usda.gov

Donald Nordlund - SAA / MSA

James A. Poulos, III BA

Goals of ATIP

Provide complementary assets to ARS

• Guide local / regional business with research needs to the appropriate ARS scientist across ARS (CRADA opportunities)

• Triage business plans of private sector to seek well-qualified candidates for licensing / research partnerships with ARS

• Acquire marketing assessments on ARS technologies from 3rd party sources (business schools, entrepreneur programs, angel investors, etc.) for targeted marketing

• Coordinate “Technology Showcase” events to facilitate partnerships with private sector companies

National Patent Committees

Three “Subject Matter” Committees

•Life Sciences•Chemical •Mechanical & Measurement

Meet quarterly

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Patent Committee Criteria

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Q2: Is the magnitude of the market relative to the cost of commercialization sufficiently large to warrant a patent?

Patent Committee Criteria

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Q2: Is the magnitude of the market relative to the cost of commercialization sufficiently large to warrant a patent?

Q3: Would the patent likely play a significant role in transferring the technology to the user?

Patent Committee Criteria

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Q2: Is the magnitude of the market relative to the cost of commercialization sufficiently large to warrant a patent?

Q3: Would the patent likely play a significant role in transferring the technology to the user?

Q4: Would a patent be enforceable, i.e., is the invention drawn to, or does it employ a unique and readily identifiable material or device which could be bought or sold?

Patent Committee Criteria

Q1: Is there current commercial interest in the invention or a high probability of commercialization in the future?

Q2: Is the magnitude of the market relative to the cost of commercialization sufficiently large to warrant a patent?

Q3: Would the patent likely play a significant role in transferring the technology to the user?

Q4: Would a patent be enforceable, i.e., is the invention drawn to, or does it employ a unique and readily identifiable material or device which could be bought or sold?

Q5: Is the invention of sufficient scope to justify patenting?

Patent Committee Criteria

20062007

20082009

2010

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Number of CRADAs

New Active

0

25

50

75

100

262 active CRADAs

SmallBusiness US

Business OutsideResearcher’s

State

Universities

Non-profitOrganizations

LargeBusinesses

SmallBusinesses

323 Active Licenses

39

35

18

6

2%

Beltsville Agricultural Research Center

•Animal & Natural Resources Institute•Plant Sciences Institute•Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center•U.S. National Arboretum

Animal/Natural Resources

•Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology•Animal Improvement Programs•Animal Parasitic Diseases•Bovine Functional Genomics•Environmental Management & By-Product Utilization•Environmental Microbial Safety•Food Safety•Hydrology & Remote Sensing•Sustainable Agriculture

Plant Sciences

• Bee Research• Crop Systems & Global Change• Genetic Improvement of Fruits & Vegetables• Invasive Insect, Biocontrol & Behavior• Molecular Plant Pathology• National Germplasm Resources• Nematology• Produce Quality & Safety• Soybean Genomics & Improvement• Sustainable Perennial Crops• Systematic Entomology• Systematic Mycology & Microbiology

•Diet, Genomics & Immunology•Food Components & Health•Food Composition & Methods•Food Intake & Energy Regulation•Food Surveys Research Group•Nutrient Data

Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center

•Education and Visitor Services•Floral & Nursery Plants Research Unit•Gardens Unit

U.S. National Arboretum

~$130M Annual appropriated funds

~$17.5MAnnual soft funds

259 PhD scientists

1000 Total employees

Questions ???