Nov 8 -- The Office of the Secretary of Agriculture invites nominations to the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics by December 8, 2022. On September 22, 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture renewed the Advisory Committee charter for a two-year term to expire on September 21, 2023. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the scope, timing, content, etc., of the periodic censuses and surveys of agriculture, other related surveys, and the types of information to obtain from respondents concerning agriculture. The Committee also prepares recommendations regarding the content of agricultural reports and presents the views and needs for data of major suppliers and users of agricultural statistics. [It appears the committee has not met since 2018 and that all 22 member slots are now open for nomimation.]
The Committee draws on the experience and expertise of its members to form a collective judgment concerning agriculture data collected and the statistics issued by NASS. This input is vital to keep current with shifting data needs in the rapidly changing agricultural environment and keeps NASS informed of emerging issues in the agriculture community that can affect agricultural statistics activities.
The Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, consists of 22 members representing a broad range of disciplines and interests, including, but not limited to, producers, representatives of national farm organizations, agricultural economists, rural sociologists, farm policy analysts, educators, State agriculture representatives, and agriculture-related business and marketing experts.
Members serve staggered 2-year terms, with terms for half of the Committee members expiring in any given year. Nominations are being sought for 22 open Committee seats. Members can serve up to 3 terms for a total of 6 consecutive years. The Chairperson of the Committee shall be elected by members to serve a 1-year term.
The duties of the Committee are solely advisory. The Committee will make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture with regards to the agricultural statistics programs of NASS, and such other matters as it may deem advisable, or which the Secretary of Agriculture; Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics; or the Administrator of NASS may request. The Committee will meet at least annually. All meetings are open to the public. Committee members are reimbursed for official travel expenses only.
NASS ACAS webpage:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/About_NASS/Advisory_Committee_on_Agriculture_Statistics/index.php
FACA database webpage:
https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/apex/FACAPublicCommittee?id=a10t0000001gzxDAAQ
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-24318