Membership Criteria

Determination of eligibility for membership in the International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium is made by the IATRC Executive Committee or its appointed representatives.

Criteria used by the Executive Committee in determining membership eligibility are:

• employment by a university, business, government agency, or other institution engaged in international agricultural trade research or analysis;
• active involvement in international agricultural trade research, or analysis or program management pertaining thereto;
• demonstrated support of membership by an individual's parent institution, by funding, at least partially, the applicant's participation in IATRC meetings and by recognizing as a legitimate institutional activity the applicant's participation in IATRC activities; and
• attendance at one IATRC meeting prior to applying for membership.

Members' employing institutions are expected to demonstrate support for the IATRC and their faculty or staff by providing financial support for attendance at the Consortium's general meetings.

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Application is made to the Chair of the IATRC. Applications may be submitted at any time but are considered by the Executive Committee only during its regular meetings. Applicants will be notified of Committee action within one month of the meeting. Applications should contain the following information:

1. applicant's full name, address, and phone number;
2. present institutional affiliation and position title;
3. description of present duties and responsibilities related to international agricultural trade research or analysis;
4. bibliography of trade and trade related publications authored (or other documentation of involvement in trade research and analysis);
5. listing of academic degrees earned;
6. employment history; and
7. a letter of recommendation from a current IATRC member highlighting the applicant’s active participation in meetings, research interests, and/or publications that are relevant to the IATRC.

Membership for individuals employed by government agencies (USDA/ERS, USDA/FAS, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and others) is established in the same manner as for non-government members. However, if on any occasion fee structures established for IATRC functions result in higher fees for non-members, then all employees of IATRC funding agencies will be charged the same fee as Consortium members.

Membership will become inactive after six years of no participation in Consortium activities, with the six-year period starting no earlier than December 31, 2005.  Following the lapse of the six-year period, the Consortium Secretariat may ask the inactive member whether the inactive member wishes to become member emeritus or to no longer remain a member. A member emeritus has the right to remain on the mailing list and similar lists of the Consortium. If it has not been possible to establish contact with the inactive member following the lapse of the six-year period, the Executive Committee may decide that the membership has terminated.  

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The Executive Committee shall have general responsibility for the direction and operation of the Consortium but shall seek the advice of the membership on all pertinent matters.

The Executive Committee shall consist of six members of the Consortium as follows:

• Develop and maintain a rolling plan for Consortium activities, to include relevant details of planned future meetings, conferences, task forces, or special studies, research projects, publications, and budgets. The planning horizon for this rolling plan is 2 - 5 years.
• Seek approval of the Plan of Activities from the Consortium membership at the annual Business Meeting.
• Maintain the financial accounts of the Consortium, and prepare an annual budget and financial statement to be presented at the annual Business Meeting of the Consortium.
• Determine the use of discretionary funds.
• Receive membership applications and determine membership eligibility.
• Solicit the membership for volunteer members of the Program Sub-Committee and select the members of that Sub-Committee.
• Ensure, through the delegation of appropriate responsibilities, the timely organization of the General Meetings, Public Symposia, and other Consortium activities.

To enable it to fulfill the above duties, the Executive Committee will meet in person as needed but at least once a year at the time of the General Meeting and at other times as determined by a majority of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will also meet by conference call more frequently. The Consortium may reimburse reasonable and allowable costs of elected members attending Executive Committee meetings and Consortium meetings held in conjunction with an Executive Committee meeting. Each funding agency will defray such costs, including registration fees, of the member it has appointed to the Executive Committee.  

• The mechanism for appointments and elections, and the conditions of appointments to the Executive Committee, are as follows:
• The core funding agencies of the Consortium, namely USDA/ERS, USDA/FAS and AAFC, shall each be internally responsible for the appointment of a Consortium member to the Executive Committee.
• Additional core funding agencies shall each be internally responsible for the appointment of a Consortium member to the Executive Committee. Recognition of a funding source as a core funding agency requires significant long term financial support for the Consortium, including support for the attendance and participation of funding agency representatives in Consortium activities.
• The USDA/ERS and AAFC appointments shall be made in even years and the USDA/FAS appointment in odd years. The timing of appointments by additional core funding agencies shall strive for similar appointment overlaps. The appointments will be made at the time of the annual Business Meeting.
• The two Executive Committee members representing members from U.S. universities and the one representing members from non-U.S. universities and other institutions shall all be elected in elections where all Consortium members are eligible to vote.
• An election for at least one elected Executive Committee position shall be held every year.
• The outcome of an election shall be announced by the Executive Committee or its Vice-Chair by e-mail to Consortium members at least one month prior to the next Business meeting of Consortium members.

The following election procedures apply:

• The Vice-Chair will, at least four months prior to the next Business meeting of Consortium members, by e-mail call for e-mail nominations from members.
• E-mail nominations are received by the Vice-Chair during a period of at least one month.
• The member nominating another member will have arranged the prior agreement of the nominee to serve if elected.
• Voting by e-mail or online (website) will take place over a period of at least two weeks following the closing of nominations.
• The nominee receiving the most votes is elected.
• In the event of a tie vote, the outcome shall be determined by the flip of a coin.
• The length of term of an Executive Committee member shall be three years. An outgoing member appointed by a core funding agency may be reappointed. An outgoing elected member may be nominated for election no earlier than for the election following the end of his/her term.
• A new elected member of the Executive Committee shall take over his/her duties immediately following the first Business Meeting after his/her election.
• A new elected member of the Executive Committee may participate in the Executive Committee meeting usually held shortly before the first Business Meeting after his/her election without having standing to vote in that Executive Committee meeting.
• In the event that a non-government Executive Committee member is unable to continue his/her duties, the Chair may, at his/her discretion, appoint a substitute to act only until the subsequent Business Meeting. Similarly, the replacement by a core funding agency of its appointed member before his/her term has expired is possible but, in the interests of continuity and Committee effectiveness, will be used only when absolutely necessary.
• In the event an elected member of the Executive Committee is unable to participate in an Executive Committee meeting, the Chair will, in consultation with that member, select a member from the same membership group to stand in for him/her at the meeting.

Program Sub-Committee

The Executive Committee shall establish a Program Sub-Committee, drawing to the extent possible on expressions of interest by members of the Consortium. The Program Sub-Committee will ordinarily comprise three-to-four members serving for up to three years. The members of the Program Sub-Committee shall elect one among themselves as Chair. The Chair will liaise with the Executive Committee member designated as Program Sub-Committee Liaison.

The Program Sub-Committee will convey to the Executive Committee at least once a year:

• recommendations on specific topics of Public Symposia and Theme Days at least two years ahead;
• recommendations on general topics of Public Symposia and Theme days for the next three-five years;
• any suggestions for organizers or organizing committees for Consortium events;
• any suggested topics for Commissioned Papers and Trade Issues Papers.

Members of the Program Sub-Committee may claim reimbursement for costs of conference calls but not for travel costs.
  
Secretariat

The Consortium may take advantage of offers of Secretariat services, such as those provided earlier by the University of Minnesota and presently by the Washington State University.

Secretariat services may include those of a Program Manager, whose duties would include facilitating the administration of funding arrangements, making arrangements for meetings and communications, and providing on-site support for Consortium meetings. The attendance or representation of a senior official of the Secretariat institution at the Business meeting and Executive Committee meetings is expected for the purpose of reporting on activities and finances.

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