Portions of Remarks by William Hunt, President, National Organization
of Professional Black
Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees
at its 10th Annual Training Conference

Arlington, TX
December 3, 2002

Good Morning! I'm happy to welcome you all to the 10th annual Training Conference of the National Organization of Professional Black NRCS Employees.

We're glad you're here and hope you enjoy our conference. A brief advance caution though; wear your thinking caps tight, be especially attentive because you're in the midst of an active, soon to be high energy, learning area! We're 100% dead serious about the learning business of our members, this agency, and how we can make the maximum contribution to the natural resources conservation mission of NRCS.

We especially appreciate Chief Knight, and so many of our National Leadership and Chief's Executive Team members being here with us this year. This means a lot to us and tells us you feel our training agenda and efforts are important to the agency and we're on the right track. We hope so, because we're feeding directly from the NRCS menu of agency priorities that the Chief sets each year. Absent this conference, many of our members might never get this direct exposure to you, Chief Knight, your top headquarters staff, and most of our Regional and State Conservationists. Most just don't normally travel in these higher-level management circles. They're too busy back home doing the excellent technical field work that makes this agency great and so great to work for. However, some of this agency's future leaders are probably sitting in this audience with us today.

This Organization recognizes we don't have a moment or a single ounce of grey matter to waste. That's why we are starting now to get our members properly prepared for the future. We believe strongly and passionately in the important work we do for our country and this agency. We believe anything less than our best is unacceptable. We refuse to be less than top quality employees working for a world-class conservation and natural resources organization. That's why our desire and determination for professional self-improvement are so strong!

We have lots to offer our country, this agency, USDA, and our conservation partners. You haven't seen our best yet! Mostly because many haven't been asked nor had the opportunity for increased service. The diversity of backgrounds, education, and work experiences we bring to the conservation table can be a powerful source of strength. We are still a relatively untapped resource. I hope we don't need any more special Civil Rights Implementation Team (CRIT) and Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT) studies, Civil Rights Committee reports, Small Farm Commission reports, producer forums, and other reports before we fully recognize and release the collective strength we already have within NRCS.

We need to market better some of what we're already doing right! We, as an Organization, are just "chomping at the bit" to help! Workforce Diversity and Outreach is NRCS's strong suit. We simply need to continue to work together and play our hand right, properly utilizing all NRCS professional employee organizations. All NRCS employee organizations and their members are willing and cooperative partners. We each bring some unique experiences and community-based connections to the table for the benefit of conservation, our program delivery, and improved customer outreach and service. This Organization and its members are determined to be part of that solution, not part of the problem.

That's why we will continue to push for more outreach for producers and better training for ALL our members until we are confident we are ready to put on the whole armor of leadership and stand shoulder to shoulder with our fellow employees to provide the highest quality certified technical assistance and professional leadership needed to:

1. Fully implement the new farm bill ,
2. Carry out all components of the President's Management agenda,
3. Improve our agency's workforce diversity and outreach accomplishments,
4. Help identify, maintain, and strengthen our agency core infrastructure and technical assistance needs,
5. Share leadership responsibility for effectively utilizing the locally led, voluntary, incentive and science-based, conservation planning approach to deliver quality NRCS programs and services,
6. Be knowledgeable and proactive in identifying and recommending to management opportunities to eliminate program and other bureaucratic red tape,
7. Be fully accountable for our agency and individual work actions,
8. Promote only common sense, cost-effective, environmental and economically defensible conservation solutions using standards in our FOTG and E-FOTG,
9. Use and teach others electronic and other means to keep our general public, traditionally underserved and other farmers, partners, customers, Technical Service Providers, and Congress informed of who we are, what we do, and how to fairly receive NRCS and USDA Program assistance and,
10. Work through Community-Based Organizations,1890, 1994, HACU, as well as 1862 Land Grant Universities, to inform, educate, and empower minority, American Indian, female, and majority private sector, and
11. Work with technical service providers to meet Congressional technical assistance requirements of the 2002 Farm bill .

Our quest is to be totally inclusive. As President Lincoln said during USDA's creation on May 15, 1862, ours is the people's Department; all the people; none left behind!

* * *

. . . we want more of our members to share in these leadership opportunities. As I often repeat "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few". We have many committees and much important Organization work that remains undone. Volunteer your time and talents. Both you and The Organization (and NRCS) will benefit from practicing your leadership skills. In fact all our Committees and 21 Chapters have worked hard this year and are ready for another top quality training experience. We raised the bar last year in Memphis and now that we're in The Lone Star State, we're seeking new heights! We want to go where we've never been before in a heightened atmosphere of greater technical competence, confidence, and achievement for all our members in partnership with our other NRCS employees and partner agencies. Not just rhetoric but demonstrated on-the-ground performance!

We will give a full days work for a full day's pay; the same as we do back home or at any other NRCS-assisted outside training session. In fact I personally challenge all our members to give back even more-- 8 hours a day isn't enough! As President of this Organization, I pledge to all our agency managers and leaders that every hour of every working day while we're here will be devoted to professional, leadership, and technical training to help us do our NRCS work better. If anyone is here for any other reasons, we ask you to leave, and not interfere or disrupt important learning opportunities for our members.

As NRCS managers, we are about increasing our knowledge, skills, and abilities to better do the job we expect our members, and your employees, to do when they return home. And we agree your expectations are totally reasonable! As our agency farm bill and other workloads expand, we believe management and employees themselves must INVEST more in employee training. Dollars used for training to build quality up front is an investment in the greatest resources this agency has-- its people. In times of tight operating budgets, we need to do more to ensure that the job gets done right the first time because we won't have the time, nor can we afford the remedial public relations or technical assistance time and expense to do it over!

Speaking of investment, let me crow a little about the investment you members have made in the future of this Organization and our mission of career and youth development, outreach to our under-served farmers and communities, and self-sufficiency. First, last August we forged a new partnership with The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. The Organization solicited voluntary financial support from our Chapters and some individual members and collectively we raised and sponsored a $2500 table at their 35th Annual Celebration in Birmingham. Thanks to the 15 Chapters and the 5 individuals who contributed $25-$100 each. Special acknowledgement and thanks from the entire Organization go to the Alabama Chapter, State Conservationist Bob Jones, and Regional Conservationist Charles Adams for your attendance, help, and support with the staffing of the 2002 Farm bill display at this meeting, including the weekend. As a result of these contacts, Mr. Ralph Paige, Executive Director of the Federation, will speak to us at tomorrow's luncheon.

We want to find ways our Organizations can work better together to improve the plight of Black Farmers who are rapidly becoming extinct. By USDA NASS count, we have lost almost 99% of our nation's Black Farmers in my dad's lifetime-- 80 years. A crisis -- you betcha! Also an emerging crisis in rural land ownership. What's happening to our wealth, and more importantly, sense of place? We'll hear more on this during the Agriculture Committee and other conference presentation by Mr. Al Drain.

Secondly, we celebrated the voluntary commitment of 48 new Organization life member s last year. That was quite an achievement considering we only had 3 over the first 8 years of our existence -- first lady Denise Brooks, Sarah Marshall, and Jim Tatum. With your Executive Board's concurrence, in 2002, I set a goal of 59 new life members for a targeted year-end total of 110. Some on the Board quietly questioned my sanity at the time. Folks, I'm happy to report, you members responded to this appeal in overwhelming fashion. Our 110th member is Mr. Ed Thompson. But then, you blew us off the map! There is no quitting in you folks!! You told us loud and clear not to underestimate you or your resolve. Today I'm happy to announce that, in typical agency fashion, you exceeded our goal, and we now have 68 new members. Mr. Charles Love is our 119th life member of your organization Give yourself a hand!! You did it; you deserve it. Now that we have a taste of success under our belt, I'm convinced we can do even better in 2003.

We have already identified 73 high-priority members we know should already be with us as life members! We know some of you are looking for a great year-end tax deduction. The Organization now has 501(c)(3) status. There is no better investment than in This Organization and your future. The amazing thing about our life membership growth list is that it contains so many of what I call ordinary people. Ordinary people who are making an extraordinary effort on their and others behalf. Yes, we have some State Conservationists and Regional Conservationists, but it's truly amazing how many of our life members are secretaries, clerks, soil conservationists, soil scientists, public affairs specialists, information technology specialists, retirees, beginning district conservationists, etc. When these extraordinary members are willing to make these kinds of sacrifices, it tells me we must be getting it right!

And folks, it's not even about raising money. It's about your unqualified support to the mandate you gave this Board in December 2000. We, and you, have taken it to heart. With your support we've remained focused on the goals of:

1. More professional development training opportunities for our members, with a special emphasis on youth,
2. Enhancing and improving our professional Organization stature with NRCS, USDA, Partners, and others, and
3. Securing and achieving our Organizational financial self sufficiency.

* * *

. . . this year we're trying something new and, we believe, much needed. We've introduced and invited all State Conservationists and high school and college students to our first Student/Career Fair. All students and others, 16 years of age or older, are asked to participate if they are interested in working as Student Interns or permanent employees of NRCS anywhere in the country. We are seeking to connect these interested persons to our agency via the Student Educational Employment Program or as USDA Career Interns. Thanks to the help of our State Conservationists and their Human Resources staff, 1890 liaisons, and personal contacts initiated by our various NRCS employee Organizations, the Fair started yesterday at noon and will continue through today.

Our goal is to assist minority, American Indian, female, and people with disabilities, who are interested, to find work with our agency. We also want to help management increase opportunities to achieve AEP and Workforce Diversity goals. Unlike regular Federal Job or Career Fairs, we already know these persons are looking for work in the natural resources field specifically. A win-win situation, we think. And with our new Career Intern hiring authority, jobs can virtually be offered on the spot!

We will assess how it works this year and what improvements are needed so that we can improve the connectivity in future years. Please give us your feedback and support by visiting and listening to recruiters and students. Members and guests, we're privileged to be here for this important learning opportunity. Open your ears as wide as possible, your mouth as little as possible, engage your brain as much as possible, be attentive, punctual and as cooperative as possible and I guarantee by the end of this week you will know significantly more about our agency work and your important role in it than when you arrived. Our goal is to always exceed your expectations.

With that, I officially declare The Organization's 10th annual training conference duly open for new and expanded mission-critical Training and career development opportunities. This is your conference! Chances are very great you'll get out of this training what you put into it, so get connected early and often! We want you to leave here a satisfied customer. Enjoy the learning journey! Thank you, and have a great learning week!!