The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 11, November 2024
The NPDN Communications Committee generated a poster intended to be a useful resource that NPDN members can use to communicate with stakeholders and answer questions such as: What is NPDN?, Why is NPDN important to me?, and How can I help NPDN to provide even better services?. NPDN members can download the pdf poster file for use by their own labs.
The National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) is a consortium of plant diagnostic laboratories. The network currently comprises more than 120 labs located in all 50 U.S. states and five territories. Established in 2002 by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Office of Homeland Security, NPDN has played an important, multifaceted role in safeguarding the health of our agricultural and natural ecosystems, protecting the bio- and informational security in the U.S., generating new plant diagnostic knowledge, facilitating the communication of plant pest and disease information, and training next-generation plant diagnosticians and scientists.
Despite making significant contributions to plant health and sciences in the U.S., NPDN faces various challenges. A particular challenge is effectively communicating with a diverse range of stakeholders from regulatory officials, law makers, and sponsors, to research communities, students, and commercial and residential plant growers. The effectiveness of such communication has a huge impact on the network's recognition, reputation, and sustainability.
Contact info: Xiao Yang, xyang7@clemson.edu
