The Director's Corner

As I write this, we still don’t know whether a government shutdown will occur. This ongoing uncertainty feels like a recurring theme lately, and it’s never easy to navigate situations where we have little control over the direction things are headed.
 
In that same spirit of limbo, we also don’t yet have a timeline for the release of NPDN funds. That said, it was a significant step forward to move out of the review phase and into the administrative review phase—progress we were glad to see. The next step is for the cooperative agreement to be signed, after which the regional centers will follow their usual process, and the current year’s funds will become available.
 
I remain optimistic that the grant will move forward as it has for the last 24 years. As soon as I receive any updates, I’ll share them with you right away.
 
If you're experiencing financial strain due to this delay, please reach out to your regional center. While we don’t have a pool of funds readily available to solve every issue, it's important for us to understand what's happening across the network. When opportunities arise, having a real-time picture of the situation helps us tell our story more effectively.
 
In the meantime, thank you for your continued pivoting and dedication—your resilience and commitment are what keep this network strong, especially in times like these.
 
Shifting gears, we have some exciting updates to share! If you haven’t heard, GPDN has welcomed a new Associate Director—Jennifer Abshire. Jennifer brings a strong background in both plant pathology, which she studied during her master’s program, and entomology, through her work with USDA-ARS. We're thrilled to have her join the NPDN team!
 
In other news, leadership recently submitted several PPA 7721 proposals aimed at furthering NPDN's mission and making the organization a little more secure. One such initiative involves expanding Core Accreditation to eight state departments of agriculture laboratories. Additional projects are also in the works to foster collaboration with federal agencies that are now placing greater emphasis on plant biosecurity, an area where we've had limited engagement in the past.
These efforts are part of a broader goal to raise awareness of NPDN and its important work. A recent example of outreach for NPDN is an article featured in Morning AgClips titled “What the Alleged Plant Pathogen Smuggling News Means for Farmers—and Why Plant Pathology Matters.” You can read it now on the NPDN Impact webpage. This article was released by APS.
 
I just want to say how much I appreciate all of you and the incredible work you do every day. I hope you’re able to take a break from the news, the work, and those never-ending to-do lists to do something that brings you a bit of joy. It’s these moments of pause and renewal that help us navigate times of uncertainty and change.