Bylaws

Name
1. North Central Crop Evaluation Committee (NCCEC)
Background and Justification
The North Central states have large acreages devoted to the production of agronomic crops. Selection of the right varieties often has a major economic impact on farm profitability. Each year growers are bombarded with information from seed companies who say their varieties are the best. The role of crop testing programs at Land Grant Experiment Stations is to provide growers with timely, impartial information about variety characteristics and performance. By providing this information, public crop testing programs help growers in the North Central states remain competitive in today's global marketplace.

The top producing varieties typically yield 5-10% higher than the average in most tests. Translating this to an economic impact at the farm level is difficult. However, considering the value of the production of several crops in the North Central states, even a relatively small shift toward greater utilization of the top producing varieties has the potential to generate millions of dollars of additional farm income. Astute growers are able to capture that extra income by selecting the variety best suited to their. Having access to reliable and impartial information at every step of the process is vital to the success of today's farmer. Public variety testing programs provide unbiased information on variety selection, a key component of the crop production system.

Testing methodology has become more complex with advances in plant breeding and biotechnology. Our understanding of what constitutes a unique variety is changing. Individual genes and sets of genes can be manipulated within species and across species with greater control and creativity. Unique unions of genetics and pesticides create new challenges for conducting unbiased evaluations. As we address these challenges, coordination of planning and protocols among the North Central states will increase efficiency, enhance utilization of information, and ultimately benefit the crop growers.

This committee will be the organized vehicle to enhance communication among crop testing programs in the North Central states. The exchange of information among public crop testing personnel and private seed industry representatives at annual meetings will enable the participating states to provide the best possible information to growers.

Purpose
1. The purpose of each state crop testing program is to provide comprehensive, impartial, and timely information about variety performance to growers.
2. Specific objectives of the NCCEC are to:
  1. Facilitate the formation of regional databases for major agronomic crops in the North Central region.
  2. Develop recommendations for standardized variety testing and reporting procedures.
  3. Provide an organized forum for the exchange of information and ideas related to crop testing in the North Central region.
  4. Serve as a region-wide liaison between state crop testing personnel and the private seed industry. This committee will provide a formal setting where recommendations from seed companies and their associated commodity organizations can be discussed, evaluated, and incorporated into appropriate protocols.
  5. Serve as a region-wide liaison between state crop testing personnel and growers, cooperative extension personnel, crop consultants, crop commodity organizations, seed marketers, and anyone else that has an interest in crop testing data.
Authority
1. To make recommendations to participants in accordance with purposes stated above.
2. To collect and disburse funds in accordance with purposes stated above.
3. To remain in perpetual existence until disbanded by the membership as stated below.
Membership
1. Participants
  1. Official members: All personnel associated with public crop testing programs from: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Decisions typically will be made by consensus. If a vote is called, each state represented at the meeting will have one vote.
  2. Invited participants: When determined appropriate by the official members, representatives from other regions, private seed companies, private consulting firms, and commodity organizations.
  3. Additions: States other than those listed above can be added at the discretion of the members.
  4. Deletions: Lack of participation as stated below may be grounds for deleting members from the membership list.
2. Participation Expectations
  1. Official members from each state are expected to participate in NCCEC meetings, offices, program development, discussions, subcommittees, and other activities consistent with purposes stated above.
  2. Invited participants may be included in the above activities at the discretion of the official members.
Offices and duties
1. Chair:
  1. Hosts annual meeting and develops program and associated activities.
  2. Represents NCCEC where necessary in accordance with purposes.
  3. Must have participated in NCCEC activities for at least 1 year prior to election.
  4. Serves for not more than one consecutive year.
  5. Serves as vice-chair in the following year.
  6. May also serve as secretary - treasurer if approved by membership.
2. Past-Chair or his designee:
  1. Assists the chair in all duties listed above.
  2. Assumes chair in event of vacancy.
  3. Serves as chairperson of By-laws committee and verifies all activities to be consistent with the By-laws.
3. Secretary - Treasurer:
  1. Appointed by current chair.
  2. Records minutes of all meetings and maintains documented history of NCCEC and transfers all committee documents to successor.
  3. Serves as correspondent when directed by the chair.
  4. Collects registration fees.
  5. Disburses funds.
  6. Presents financial report at annual meeting.
  7. Maintains mailing/membership list.
  8. Serves for not more than one consecutive year.
Committees
1. By-laws Committee: Review the application of the By-laws to NCCEC business and develops changes as necessary. The past-chair will serve as chairperson and will include the 2 previous past-chairs as committee members.
2. Executive Committee: The Chair, Past-Chair, and Secretary - Treasurer can be empowered to act on behalf of the NCCEC as directed by the members.
3. Other committees may be established as needed.
Meetings
1. Annual meeting:
  1. Shall be hosted in a different state each year, typically with each actively involved state taking its turn before repeating.
  2. Program shall be designed to further above-stated purposes.
  3. Next year's chair will be elected at each annual meeting. Selected individuals must agree to host the annual meeting the following year and serve as past-chair the next year.
2. Other meetings may be called as needed either independent of or in conjunction with meetings of other entities (e.g. ASA, SRIEG-33, ASTA, etc.).
3. Decisions typically will be made by consensus. If a vote is called, each state represented at the meeting will have one vote.
Amendments to By-laws
1. The By-laws Committee at the direction of the chair will recommend changes as necessary.
2. The membership shall be notified of pending changes at least 30 days prior to the annual or the called meeting.
3. By-laws may only be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the membership in attendance at the annual meeting or called meeting.
Dissolution
1. The North Central Crop Evaluation Committee may be disbanded by a 2/3 majority vote of the membership in attendance at the annual or the called meeting.
Liability
1. This committee shall not be liable for the acts of individual members, or for the acts of officers who have acted beyond their authority.
2. Officers of this committee shall not be liable for the acts of this committee unless the officers acted beyond their authority.
3. The members of this committee shall not be liable for the acts of this committee or of its officers.
Rules of order
1. The most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the authority on all points not covered by these By-laws.
These by-laws adopted and enacted on August 5, 1997 at the annual meeting of the NCCEC held in Toledo, Ohio.