I. Welcome

• Susan Offutt called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
• Donna Dunn began the meeting with news of the attendance rates for the 2003 Annual Meeting. As of Tuesday, July 22, there were 1832 total attendees registered for the meeting, 1229 of which were AAEA members. The room blocks in the three conference hotels were all filled, meaning that AAEA would not need to pay attrition to any of the hotels.
• Offutt then welcomed new members Sally Thompson, Ron Mittlehammer and Laurian Unnevehr to the board.
  

A. Minutes of January 2003 Executive Board meeting

i. Motion to approve the minutes as written made by Jon Brandt, seconded by Harry Kaiser. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

B. Minutes of May 22 Executive Board conference call

i. Motion to approve minutes as written made by Bill Boggess, seconded by Jean Kinsey. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

C. Minutes of June 19 Executive Board conference call

i. Motion to approve minutes as written moved by Jon Brandt, seconded by Harry Kaiser. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

II. Strategic Issues

A. AAEA budget and dues

Susan reviewed the decision made by Executive Board conference call to raise Association membership dues. This proposal will have to be brought to the membership of the organization. It will be done at the annual membership business meeting to be held on Tuesday, July 19.

Discussion followed regarding the dues increase. Some of the Executive Board members had concerns about the increase, but also felt that proposing the dues increase gives the Association some direction as to what the members want the Association to be and makes members think about what they want.

Clarification was offered as to the status of the Association's services with the dues increase. It was originally discussed that the American Journal of Agricultural Economics would start being offered in an online only format. However, the Board contended that it should continue to be offered in print format as long as the financial situation of the Association allows.

Several Board members pointed out that, with this dues increase, marketing takes on a much more significant role. The current membership of the Association has a responsibility to others in the field of agricultural economics to tout the value of a professional society as a means to have work published and opportunities to present research during Annual Meetings.

There was a discussion on the issue of page charges. It was agreed by the Board that there is room to assess the current system of page charges for the AJAE and that benchmarking should be done against comparable journals. The Board will investigate increasing the number of pages in the journal.

Offutt summarized what she would say at the membership meeting. It would be a combination of information from President-Elect Jon Brandt's Presidential Address and from her July/August column in the Exchange. This information summarizes what the Association is and what services are provided. Then, she will provide a clear picture of current revenue and expenses while making the point that the Board has reacted to the reduction of revenue from investments.

Following, Offutt will present the membership with the proposed membership Rate increases.
Regular members--$150
Student members--$75
Senior members--$125
Family members--$275
Industry members--$400

The Board also agreed that the current policy of being able to "opt out" of receiving the journals should be discontinued. All members will receive electronic-only versions of the journals and will be able to opt out of the print versions.

Motion that the proposal for dues to be raised as presented and continue the package of services as it currently stands made by Jean Kinsey and seconded by Harry Kaiser.
The question was called and motion passed by unanimous vote.

B. Proposal to AAEA Foundation Board to fund allied organizations (C-FARE, CAST, COPFAS and COSSA)

Offutt noted that the current operating policies for the Foundation indicate that the Foundation is meant to promote the effectiveness of the discipline, which is what these organizations do. The Executive Board has been allocating funds to support these organizations for years, but upon reviewing the operating policies, it was felt that this would be a more natural fit for the Foundation. Offutt will take the proposal to the Foundation Governing Board for their action.

C. Strategic planning discussion

As AAEA President, Jon Brandt plans to undertake review/revision/recreation of the AAEA strategic plan in the next year. Given where the Association is with the budget and the current strategic plan, Jon would like to see the Board take on the issue of strategic planning for the January meeting.

The idea of strategic planning was commended by the Board, although the suggestion was made to modify the term to "strategic visioning."

D. Name and Image Task Force review

There is continuing interest from Steve Buccola to continue to evaluate the market for agricultural economists in the marketplace and provide input on that market in respect to the image of the association.

The discussion turned to the need for AAEA to be a repository for baseline information on the profession including demand for graduates, salaries and number of students. This should be an ongoing activity of the Association and coordinated by a standing committee. Offutt suggested that the board recommend that Buccola turn his attention to the supply and demand of the Association, containing salary, degree, etc. information.

The Board determines that the members of this task force should be advised that a committee is being charged to gather and maintain this information. The members of the task force will work with Offutt, Zilberman and Unnevehr from the Board to create a charge for the committee. Task force members will also have the opportunity to be the inaugural members of the committee.

III. Action/Discussion Items

A. Finance/budget

Betty Eckebrecht reported on the state of AAEA's finances.
i. Second quarter financial reports
ii. Variance reports
iii. Audit report
iv. Annual Meeting

B. Expanded searchable membership directory

The new products sub-committee of the Professional Activities Committee recommends an expanded searchable membership directory. The expanded directory would enhance the information in the AAEA database and membership directory. It would allow members to search on specialty area as well as type of position (government, industry, teaching, research, Extension). A link to the member's personal home page would be added.

Cost estimated at $1,300 for development and annual cost $725. The Extension Section has offered to pay $750 of the development costs and would split annual costs between the Extension Section and the Association

The Board recommends that this be accepted for the Members Only area of the Web site, and accepts the Extension Section's offer for reimbursement. The Board would like the Extension Section to have an external review of the list to ensure exclusiveness

Harry Kaiser moved that this proposal be adopted for the Members Only area of the site. Jon Brandt seconded and the motion carried by unanimous vote.

C. Office operations

i. Fiscal year
This is a follow-up from a previous discussion to move AAEA from a January 1 fiscal year to an April 1 fiscal year. An April 1 fiscal year would better fit the planning cycle of the organization, allowing for a smoother workload for accounting staff. It also allows the Board to vote on the budget before the start of the fiscal year. Annual audits would fall in a time of the year when firms charge lower rates. A three-month short year would take place in the first quarter of 2004, followed by a 12-month year.

Cathy Kling moved to change the fiscal year to an April 1-March 31 fiscal year effective in 2004. Joe Glauber seconded the motion. The motion carried.

D. AJAE editor and AJAE book review editor

One more AJAE editor and the AJAE book review editor need to be identified.

i. Stephen Swallow applied for the second AJAE editor slot that needs to be filled. Members of the Board received the background on Swallow who is at the University of Rhode Island. Rhode Island is going to support his editorship. Swallow has included a condition in his terms of editorship that he be allowed to publish in AJAE. The Board determines that they will appoint him editor without conditions, as the Board is not prepared to make a decision about editors' publishing at this time.

Jon Brandt moved to appoint Steven Swallow as editor with the provision that the Communications and Publications Committee will take up the issue of editors' publishing. Glauber seconded the motion. Motion approved

ii. AJAE Book review editor
Peter Berck had an exchange with the current book editor who has agreed to do it again, and recommends that we offer him a reappointment of two years.

Motion to reappoint made by David Zilberman, Joseph Glauber seconded. The motion carried by unanimous vote.

E. Selected papers

Jon Brandt suggested to the Board that the Selected Papers Committee be turned into a standing committee wherein the chair would ask people to serve three-year terms in a rotation such that there would not be complete turnover every year. This would allow for the committee to benefit from institutional memory.

The Board would like to continue the current delineation of categories. The committee could function similar to the awards committee, with a chair for each category who had previously served on the committee.

Jon Brandt moved that a standing committee of the association be created for selected papers whose chair would be appointed following the tradition of other committee chairs, where members are appointed, but serve for three consecutive years. The motion was seconded by Joseph Glauber

The motion carried unanimously.

F. Registration waivers

Offutt proposed that when the Board meets in January, they discuss a proposal to address the waivers for those who come to the meetings only for one day to present. The proposal would create deadlines and criteria.

G. Fellows discussion

It was determined that the Fellows discussion is difficult to have over the phone. The Board recommends attempting to do the final selection of Fellows during their annual January meeting

Additionally, there is no set number that the Fellows Selection Committee forwards to the Board. However, the Board would like to see more than eight choices.

IV. Reports

A. Committees (reports from the following committees were circulated to the Board in advance of the meeting)

i. Economics Statistics and Information Resources Committee
ii. Professional Activities
iii. Selected Papers
iv. Employment Services Committee
v. Tellers
vi. Awards

B. Publications

AJAE - Peter Berck reported to the Board
AAEA is still waiting for access to the digitized library of AJAE volumes current with the Mann Library at Cornell University.
There is no need for each of the editors to receive ten journals from Blackwell, Berck suggests that each editor receive three copies of the journal.

Berck offered a preview of the issues referred to communications committee, primarily concerning a move from a four-editor model to a model where there is one editor who oversees and make strategic decisions. He also recommended that the honoraria for the editors be increased incrementally each year.
This was referred to the Communications/Publications Committee because there is a relationship between the editors, executive board and the Communications/Publication Committee regarding the status of the journals and the strategic discussions that need to take place.

RAE - Susan Offutt reported to the Board
Statistics show increase in readership of the RAE since the journal moved to Blackwell.
In 2004, the journal will go to four issues per year, allowing the journal to be cited in the Social Science Citation Index as well as becoming more timely.
There is currently an automated system for people to make sure that papers are moving through the system. The tracking system that has been built will be turned over to the next set of editors.

ERS will turn editorship over in 2004. They encourage an entity to take this on as a group. The cost to the Association for this service could be as much as $50,000.

Choices
Editor Peter Barry has resigned. He made a great contribution by negotiating with Missouri and getting this off the ground. Brandt will present this issue to the Communications/Publications Committee.

C. Sections (reports from the following committees were circulated to the Board in advance of the meeting)

i. Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy Section
ii. Food Safety and Nutrition Section
iii. Community Economics Section
iv. Seniors Section

V. Other Business

A. Committee and Section Board liaisons must be chosen

i. Committees
· Communication/Publications: Harry Kaiser
· Employment Services: Ron Mittlehammer
· ESIRC: David Zilberman
· Fellows selection: Susan Offutt
· Finance: Bill Bogguss, Susan Capalbo, Sally Thompson
· International (turning into section): Laurian Unnevehr
· Nominating committee: Susan Offutt
· Selected Papers: Jon Brandt
· Professional Activities: Ron Mittlehammer

ii. Sections
· FAMPS: Sally Thompson
· Extension: Jon Brandt
· Food Safety: Laurian Unnevehr
· Seniors: Susan Capalbo
· IBES: Harry Kaiser
· CENET: Laurian Unnevehr
· CWAE: Bill Boggess
· COSBAE: Jon Brandt
· GSS: Bill Boggess
· NAAEA: Jon Brandt
· TLC: Susan Capalbo
· AEM: Harry Kaiser

iii. Foundation: David Zilberman, Sally Thompson and Susan Offutt

B. C-FARE

Gene Nelson, Chair of C-FARE presented to the Board his vision for C-FARE. The group would like to see funding divided up four ways:
1. Department heads
2. USDA, Economic Research Service
3. Other federal agencies
4. AAEA

C-FARE would also support Choices in the following ways:
· Marketing, making information available
· Focus groups to identify issues
· Create "fact sheets" for quick overview

VII. Comments from outgoing Board Members:

Kinsey, Glauber and Kling commented on their Board service and their perceptions on the Association and the Association's future.

VII. Adjourn

Motion to adjourn made by Jon Brandt, seconded by Jean Kinsey. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.