A researcher's perceptions of USDA funding in animal reproduction

¹ Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164 567

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: reevesjj{at}wsu.edu.

	Abstract

Through the 1970's, NIH was the only source of federal competitive research funding for Animal Scientists in reproduction. This required couching domestic animals as models for basic research on human reproduction. The first USDA Competitive Research Grants Program was initiated in 1978 under the auspices of the Competitive Research Grants Office. Again, Animal Scientists could only get funds for research in reproduction through the Animal Health Special Grants Program, which began in 1980. Dedicated funding for animal reproduction did not start until 1985 and was available primarily in the reproductive efficiency and physiology areas of the Animal Science Program. Funding for individual grants and duration of funding were similar between NIH and USDA, typically in the range of 3 years with total direct costs of $150,000. USDA funding in reproduction permitted directing research more toward the animal industry and less toward human reproductive problems or animal health problems. The names of these programs have changed over time, the National Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program started in 1991 with a program in Animal Reproduction. Successful funding of individual grants has been based on an industry problem with a sound hypothesis and basic technology. The USDA review system has been based on external (ad hoc) reviewers as well as a primary and a secondary panelist reviewers. This review system may drop the external reviewers. USDA did not change the award size for individual grants until 2001 when it gradually increased through 2003. It then markedly increased individual grants in 2004 to a funding level of $300,000-$500,000 over 3 to 4 years. This is good in some respects but results in funding many fewer grants. Policies based on funding the best designed and presented proposals in priority areas should continue. The number of grants funded per year is approaching a low critical number, with an average of only 10 new grants funded per year. At the present funding level it will be difficult for even the best scientist to sustain a research career based only on USDA funding.