What is the State Technical Committee?
The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, authorizes the State Technical Committee to provide recommendations for establishing technical guidelines and program criteria and priorities necessary to carry out conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
State Technical Committee
Next Meeting: November 10, 2020
The committee also helps assure that civil rights requirements in program delivery are met.
Additionally, the State Technical Committee provides recommendations on a number of issues within a variety of conservation programs.
Although the State Technical Committee has no implementation or enforcement authority, USDA gives strong consideration to the committee's recommendations.
Roles and Responsibilities
The State Technical Committee may advise the NRCS state conservationist on many issues. Examples include:
- State program management policies and procedures
- State program management policies and procedures Technical programmatic recommendations
- Statewide public information and outreach campaigns
- Identifying significant statewide natural resource concerns
- Guidelines for developing ranking criteria for evaluating applications
- Guidance on eligible conservation practices
- Technical guidance on conservation practices, including new, innovative practices
- Cost-share rates and incentive payment limits and methods of payment
- Identifying, monitoring, and analyzing performance indicators
- Evaluating and reporting program impacts on natural resources and the environment
- Coordinating with other federal, state, tribal, and local public and private activities
Who are the Committee Members?
The Arkansas state conservationist is the committee chair.
In addition, the state conservationist will ensure equal representation of interests, seriously consider the committee’s technical advice, and call and provide notice of public meetings when necessary.
The State Technical Committee is composed of individuals who represent a variety of agricultural interests and natural resource sciences and occupations including soil, water, air, plants, livestock, wetlands, and wildlife.
Invitation to participate will be made by the state conservationist in order to assure a balance of representation of the many resource and conservation issues.
- Representatives on the committee may include:
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Farm Service Agency
- Forest Service
- Extension Service
- Farmers Home Administration
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- State fish and wildlife agency
- State forester or equivalent official
- State water resources agency
- State department of agriculture
- State association of soil and water conservation districts
- Other agency personnel with expertise in soil, water, wetland, and wildlife management
- Agricultural producers with demonstrable conservation expertise
- Nonprofit organizations with demonstrable conservation expertise
- Persons knowledgeable about conservation techniques
- Agribusiness
Meetings
The Arkansas State Technical Committee meetings are held on an as needed basis, usually twice per year. Prior to these meetings, various work groups representing members of the committee may meet to finalize recommendations to be made to the committee.
Chairperson
The Arkansas State Technical Committee is chaired by the state conservationist who can be contacted at the following address:
Michael Sullivan State Conservationist USDA-NRCS Room 3416, Federal Bldg. 700 West Capitol Ave. Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: (501) 301-3100 E-mail: michael.sullivan@usda.gov
Additional Information
