The multistate research program, authorized by the Hatch Act, enables research on high priority topics among the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES) in partnership with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), other research institutions and agencies, and with the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). In this way, technological opportunities and complex problem solving activities which are beyond the scope of a single SAES, can be approached in a more efficient and comprehensive way. These activities involve cooperative, jointly planned research employing multidisciplinary approaches. They are oriented toward accomplishment of specific outcomes and impacts and based on priorities developed from stakeholder input and are responsive to NIFA goals.
Multistate research activities are managed and documented through the National Information Management and Support System (NIMSS) at the University of Maryland.
Descriptions and Regional Designations of Multistate Activities
Types of Multistate research activities Projects:
Multistate Research Project:projects that involve integrated, potentially interdisciplinary, and multistate activities; have expected outcomes, including original research results; convey knowledge; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NE-xxxx
North Central Region: NC-xxxx
Southern Region: S-xxxx
Western Region: W-xxxx
500 Series: Committees formed, for a maximum of two years, to provide a mechanism for response to acute crises, emergencies, and opportunities using the multistate research approach. Activities may range from formally organized research on targeted objectives to very informal research coordination or information exchange activity, depending on the circumstances; have expected outcomes; convey knowledge; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NE-5xx
North Central Region: NC-5xx
Southern Region: S-5xx
Western Region: W-5xx
National Research Support Project (NRSP): Activities that provide a mechanism for addressing critical regional issues where multistate coordination or information exchange is appropriate within a function (ie. research, education or extension); have expected outcomes; convey knowledge; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NRSP-xx
North Central Region: NRSP-xx
Southern Region: NRSP-xx
Western Region: NRSP-xx
Committees:
Coordinating Committees: Activities that focuses on the development of enabling technologies, support activities (such as to collect, assemble, store, and distribute materials, resources and information), or the sharing of facilities needed to accomplish high priority research, but which is not of itself primarily research; funded through off-the-top MRF Hatch appropriations; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NECC-xxx
North Central Region: NCCC-xxx
Southern Region: SCC-xxx
Western Region: WECC-xxx
Education/Extension and Research Activity: Activities that serve to integrate education (academic and/or extension) and research on a particular topic where multistate coordination or information exchange is appropriate; have expected outcomes; convey knowledge; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NEERA-xxx
North Central Region: NCERA-xxx
Southern Region: SERA-xxx
Western Region: WERA-xxx
Development Committee: Committees of duration less than two years for the purpose of developing a Multistate Activity; have the expected outcome of a full proposal for a particular Multistate Activity; and are peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NEDC-xxx
North Central Region: NCDC-xxx
Southern Region: SDC-xxx
Western Region: WDC-xxx
Advisory Committee: Committees of department chairs/heads from a particular discipline that exchange information and serve a multistate administrative function through review of multistate activities, but are not peer reviewed.
Northeast Region: NEAC-xxx
North Central Region: NCAC-xxx
Southern Region: SAC-xxx
Western Region: WAC-xxx