USDA SIGNS TECHNICAL SERVICE PROVIDER AGREEMENT WITH SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2003—Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Mark Rey today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with officials of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) that will help landowners obtain assistance in forest management.

“This partnership will provide a much-needed service for landowners who need technical assistance to develop their forest management plans,” Rey said. “SAF’s excellent certification program will ensure landowners get quality assistance. SAF-certified individuals will help NRCS expand its capabilities and meet the enormous demand for Farm Bill conservation programs.”

In addition to Rey, other signatories were Michael Goergen, Jr., executive vice president and CEO, Society of American Foresters, and Jessica Giusti Strother, member, Certification Review Board. Strother signed the MOU on behalf of Greg Hay, chair of the Certification Review Board.

The five-year MOU allows SAF to recommend its certified individuals to USDA for certification to provide technical services in forest management and agroforestry practices. Their work must meet USDA standards and specifications for effective forest management.

The 2002 Farm Bill expanded the availability of technical assistance to private landowners by encouraging the use of third parties—called technical service providers—to assist USDA in delivering conservation technical assistance services to farmers, ranchers and others.

The certified specialists will be placed on a national, web-based registry called TechReg that is available to landowners, farmers, ranchers and others seeking conservation technical assistance. As of July 11, 2003, the registry had 812 certified TSPs and 788 pending applications nationally.

Additional information on technical service provider assistance is available at http://techreg.usda.gov . Information on the 2002 Farm Bill can be found at http://www.usda.gov/farmbill/

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