Mission Statement

The Bean Improvement Cooperative - BIC is a voluntary and informal organization to effect the exchange of information and materials for the improvement of bean production worldwide. Members include scientists, students, private organizations and lay-people interested in our mission.

Competitive Grants

BIC members:

I wanted to start circulating this RFA on Bean Productivity so that as many can know about it as possible. It has two focus areas summarized below. USAID is funding this effort and we want to make sure there is a strong connection to the Africa FTF countries, esp. for the soil borne pathogen effort.

Reducing Production Constraints from Soil Borne Pathogens: Soil borne pathogen pressure on common bean is a significant constraint to production. Such pathogens and associated root rots already reduce production in areas with high rainfall. As rainfall increases, as is expected around the equatorial zone in Africa, in particular East Africa, pathogen-related production constraints may become even more limiting.
Improving Transformation Technologies in Common Bean: Although success in transforming common bean has been limited to date, it is a promising strategy to address key production constraints. Developing and/or improving the methodologies and approaches necessary to efficiently transform this recalcitrant species is necessary to removing roadblocks to transformation.

Phillip Miklas, BIC President

Larry Beach,
Research Division
Agriculture, Research and Policy Office
Bureau for Food Security
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Contact: lbeach@usaid.gov
Tel: 202-712-4049

Feed the Future, www.feedthefuture.gov

The RFA for the Common Bean Productivity Research Program has just been announced.

Grants.gov Application Package:
http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/GetGrantFromFedgrants;jsessionid=yhHXPLqD7FpTpV1hYpjzMvhFwX1G6psDsQ2fh6F7BJLTTZ5tFv4V!-16379161?opportunity=USDA-NIFA-CBPR-003745&agencycode=USDA-NIFA . This page includes a synopsis of the funding opportunity, a link to the full announcement (RFA) and the application package.

Bean Productivity Research Funding Opportunity Page:
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/beanproductivityresearch.cfm. This page links to the application instructions and the application package.

Upcoming Meetings

Ninth Canadian Pulse Research Workshop - November 6-12, 2012

VI International Conference on Legume Genetics and Genomics

Organization

The President runs the BIC with assistance from a Coordinating Committee that meets every two years at the Biennial Meeting. In addition, three sub-committees provide input on matters related to specific topics. These include an Awards Committee, a Genetics Committee and a Local Organizing Committee that runs the biennial meeting. Membership in these committees is invited and a membership list is provided.

Dr. Phillip N. Miklas, BIC President
USDA-ARS
24106 North Bunn Road
Prosser WA 99350-8694
USA
Tele: (509) 786-9258
FAX: (509) 786-9277
Email: phil.miklas@ars.usda.gov