The Initiative is guided by a Steering Committee that includes growers, farm organizations, food processors (i.e. millers, pasta manufacturers, and brewers), scientists (from Land Grant universities, USDA, and private companies), and consumer groups.  Each year, the Steering Committee submits to the USDA-ARS a comprehensive and optimized research plan designed to achieve the Initiative´s goals.  That plan is the Initiative´s recommendation for how the USDA-ARS can most effectively employ the funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress for collaborative scab research.

In 2006, USDA-ARS charged the Initiative with the task of developing a 3-5 year Action Plan that would include a greater focus on the reduction of DON.  The USWBSI began the development of the Action Plan at the 2006 National FHB Forum, which took place in December, 2006.  The Action Plan has since continued to evolve by incorporating feedback from the Scab Community.  Click Here to view the current draft of the Action Plan.

The USWBSI’s Action Plan will lead to greater collaboration and communication, and more rapid attainment of the Initiative’s primary goal: to develop as quickly as possible effective control measures that minimize the threat of Fusarium head blight (scab), including the reduction of mycotoxins, to the producers, processors, and consumers of wheat and barley.

The following are the USWBSI´s research categoreis

• Research Areas:
  • FHB Management (MGMT)
  • Food Safety, Toxicology and Utilization of Mycotoxin-contaminated Grain (FSTU)
  • Gene Discovery and Engineering Resistance (GDER)
  • Pathogen Biology and Genetics (PBG)
  • Variety Development and Host Resistance (VDHR)
• Commodity-based Coordinated Projects:
  • Barley (BAR-CP)
  • Durum (DUR-CP)
  • Hard Winter Wheat (HWW-CP)