the wide array of agencies, offices, and public and private groups that work with or are served by the NPGS. The office must provide liaison with agencies, offices, and groups at the national and international level with regard to U.S. germplasm activities, and, where appropriate, have authority to foster cooperative activities. The committee has identified two options to give the NPGS greater visibility within the USDA and to simplify and centralize its management: the creation of a reorganized national system apart from the ARS, or the elevation of the NPGS within the ARS.

The NPGS could be removed from the ARS to become a separate entity within the USDA's Office of Science and Education. It would cease to be the responsibility of the National Program Staff, and would be overseen by an administrative unit reporting to the assistant secretary for science and education. The unit would have direct responsibility for NPGS budgets, staffing, and program execution. Sites and program activities would be administered directly by this new body rather than through the ARS areas or the regions of the Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS). Cooperative support from ARS, CSRS, or others would be provided for specific activities, but the national office would coordinate activities and funds. The National Plant Genetic Resources Board (NPGRB) would provide oversight and guidance for policies and programs.

The reorganized system would administer sites, collections, international activities, germplasm acquisition, data and germplasm management, research, and advisory and other activities related to managing plant germplasm in the United States. The new NPGS should also, with guidance from the NPGRB and through appropriate government offices (e.g., U.S. Department of State), provide liaison for bilateral cooperative agreements and for international germplasm activities with, for example, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Removing the administration of the national system from the ARS would provide more direct line authority and budgetary control from the system leader to individual sites. Budgets could be administered centrally and activities coordinated nationally. ARS scientists or others with responsibilities in addition to germplasm could hold joint appointments. In this way, salary and other costs attributable to germplasm