Progress 08/01/04 to 07/31/06
Outputs
Under this grant, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) produced and published a total of 19 scientific publications. The output consisted of 10 Issue Papers, 6 CAST Commentaries, 2 Special Publications, and 1 Task Force Report. Of that total, 3 publications (1 Issue Paper and 2 Commentaries) were Spanish translations of CAST publications intended to reach a wider audience. Because the mission of CAST is to assemble, interpret, and communicate credible, science-based information, each publication was written and peer reviewed by scientists chosen for their expertise in relevant topics. In total for the 19 publications covered by the grant, 214 scientists served as either chairpersons, authors, or reviewers on these CAST publications during this period. These experts were recruited not only from the United States but also from 13 other countries worldwide, including many Western European nations, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. All task force
reports and issue papers were printed in hard copy and distributed widely to individual members, society executives and presidents, representatives of member companies, nonprofits, and associate societies, and selected staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the White House, and other governmental agencies. Upon release, every new publication was posted on the CAST website (www.cast-science.org) where they are available for viewing, free to CAST members and at a small fee to other users. CAST administrators and task force members have personally presented information about each publication at rollout events held both in Washington, DC, and at relevant scientific society meetings throughout the country. These in-person meetings increase the impact of CAST publications through networking with interested colleagues. In summary, the funds provided to CAST by this grant agreement were used in the production,
printing, and distribution of 19 scientific research publications authored and peer reviewed by 214 scientists. The publications covered a broad spectrum of food and agricultural science topics and provided timely, science-based information to a diverse audience of legislators, regulators, policymakers, members of the media, the private sector, and the public.
Impacts
The CAST publications produced and released during this period generated an unprecedented number of website hits, follow-up inquiries, and citations in other media. The two commentaries on avian influenza allowed CAST to facilitate widespread distribution of timely, scientific information to address some of the misinformation being promulgated in the mass media. One of the issue papers that dealt with food safety provided current state-of-the-art knowledge about acrylamide in food. Another issue paper provided a scientific evaluation of the safety of foods produced from livestock fed with biotechnology-derived crops; this publication received widespread attention and garnered interest worldwide through media articles and interviews.
Publications
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Avian Influenza: Human Pandemic Concerns. Commentary QTA2006-1. CAST, Ames, Iowa
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Avian Influenza: Trade Issues. Commentary QTA2006-2. CAST, Ames, Iowa
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Using Risk Analysis to Inform Microbial Food Safety Decisions. Issue Paper 31. CAST, Ames, Iowa
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Acrylamide in Food. Issue Paper 32. CAST, Ames, Iowa
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Biotechnological Approaches to Manure Nutrient Management. Issue Paper 33. CAST, Ames, Iowa
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2006. Safety of Meat, Milk, and Eggs from Animals Fed Crops Derived from Modern Biotechnology. Issue Paper 34. CAST, Ames, Iowa
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
CAST has been provided funding to support publishing scientific reports and issue papers on a variety of current agricultural topics. The findings of these research papers were provided via personal briefings by CAST staff and the project chairpersons to Federal agencies, Members of Congress and their staffs, and nongovernment organizations in Washington, D.C. as they were released. A list of the CAST Task Force Reports, Special Publications, and Issue Papers that have been completed and released during the timeframe of the ISU subcontract is included below. Hard copies of certain CAST publications were distributed to all personal CAST members; representatives of companies, nonprofits, and associate societies; biotech communicators; task force and project members; CAST Board; CAST Advisory Committee; CAST Biotech Advisory Committee; CAST D.C. representatives; Society Executives; Society Presidents; Society President-Elects; selected news media personnel; and selected
staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the White House. All publications are posted on the CAST website: http://www.cast-science.org. Copies are available to view or download free of charge to CAST members, government personnel, and the media. Others may obtain a copy for a fee.
Impacts
In a fast-paced society that wants credible scientific information in an easily understandable form, CAST publications play an important role. Written and reviewed by scientific experts, in language accessible to educated lay readers, CAST reports, issue papers, and special publications have a large impact. In printed form, the publications provide hands-on reference information to the more than 1,500 CAST members and selected government personnel who receive them by mail. In online form, CAST publications are available to all Internet users from the website at www.cast-science.org; all publications are free to CAST members, government personnel, and members of the media, and are available for a small fee to nonmembers. To announce each new publication, CAST sends news releases to more than 500 major U.S. media outlets and journalists, and to communications departments at universities, companies, and nonprofits. Some media specialists have acknowledged that they value
CAST publications for fact-based information on agricultural science topics. CAST displays copies of relevant documents at professional scientific meetings across the U. S. each year. At such meetings, CAST publications have an impact on academic and Extension personnel. CAST administrators and project chairpersons often travel to Washington, D.C. or other venues to conduct briefings for interested audiences. Recent presentations were requested by the Departments of Agriculture and State. In this way, CAST publications have an impact on legislative, regulatory, and nongovernmental agency personnel.
Publications
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Adventitious Presence: Inadvertent Commingling and Coexistence among Farming Methods. Commentary QTA 2005-1. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Adventitious Presence: Inadvertent Commingling and Coexistence among Farming Methods (Spanish Translation). Commentary QTA 2005-1 SPA. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Crop Biotechnology and the Future of Food. Commentary QTA 2005-2. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Crop Biotechnology and the Future of Food. Commentary QTA 2005-2 SPA. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Global Risks of Infectious Animal Diseases. Issue Paper 28. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Global Risks of Infectious Animal Diseases (Spanish Translation). Issue Paper 28 SPA. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Agricultural Ethics. Issue Paper 29. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2005. Metabolic Modifiers for Use in Animal Production. Issue Paper 30. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
CAST has been provided funding to support publishing scientific reports and issue papers on a variety of current agricultural topics. The findings of these research papers were provided via personal briefings by CAST staff and the project chairpersons to Federal agencies, Members of Congress and their staffs, and nongovernment organizations in Washington, D.C. as they were released. CAST Task Force Reports, Special Publications, and Issue Papers that have been completed and released to date is listed in the publications field. Hard copies of certain CAST publications were distributed to all personal CAST members; representatives of companies, nonprofits, and associate societies; biotech communicators; task force and project members; CAST Board; CAST Advisory Committee; CAST Biotech Advisory Committee; CAST D.C. representatives; Society Executives; Society Presidents; Society President-Elects; selected news media personnel; and selected staff at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the White House. All publications are posted on the CAST website: http://www.cast-science.org. Copies are available to view or download free of charge to CAST members, government personnel, and the media. Others may obtain a copy for a fee.
Impacts
CAST reports cover a broad spectrum of food and agricultural science topics and serve as a validated and balanced source of scientific knowledge useful to the scientist and non scientist alike. Scientists, industry, and academicians use the reports as resources and as supplemental texts for classes. Students use them as references. Legislators and regulators use them as a valuable tool to understand the scientific basis of many policy and regulatory issues. And the media use them to understand and report on the science behind the important issues of the day. The general public then benefits from the exposure and understanding of the scientific information. CAST has the experience, the expertise, and the solid reputation to play a key role in the communication of the science behind public policy decisions.
Publications
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2004. Bioenergy: Pointing to the Future. Issue Paper 27. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2004. Animal Organ Donors: Human Health Applications. Issue Paper 26. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2004. Management of Pest Resistance: Strategies Using Crop Management, Biotechnology, and Pesticides. Special Publication 24. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2004. Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Challenges and Opportunities for Agriculture. Task Force Report 141. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). 2004. Biotechnology-derived, Perennial Turf and Forage Grasses: Criteria for Evaluation. 2004. Special Publication 25. CAST, Ames, Iowa.
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