The Food and Agriculture Council

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Washington, D.C. 20250

DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION		Number: 1043-012
SUBJECT: The Food and Agriculture Council	DATE: January 11, 1983
	OPI: Office of the Secretary

1. PURPOSE

Secretary's Memorandum 1043-2 dated April 2, 1982 established the USDA Food and Agriculture Councils. This regulation sets out FAC responsibilities and operating procedures and identifies the methods FAC's will use to report their activities and achievements.

2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

a. The Secretary's Policy and Coordination Council retains authority for establishing Departmental Policy and this regulation is set out in accordance with that authority.

b. The Department's advisory committees, subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, are unaffected by this regulation.

3. POLICY

It is the policy of the USDA to provide for effective and efficient coordination of Federal agricultural programs within each of the individual States and territories. The Food and Agriculture Council will serve as the single interagency forum for this purpose in each state.

4. ABBREVIATIONS

USDA - United States Department of Agriculture NFAC - National Food and Agriculture Council FAC - State or Territory Level Food and Agriculture Council

5. RESPONSIBILITIES

a The National Food and Agriculture Council will:

(1) Coordinate all activities identified by Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Agency administrators requiring the cooperative involvement of the agencies at the State or Territory level to achieve the Department's missions and objectives;

(2) Provide for liaison to the State FAC's; and

(3) Issue revisions to this regulation.

b. The State Food and Agriculture Council will:

(1) Execute all tasks and functions issued by NFAC of the Secretary's Policy and Coordination Council.

(2) At the discretion of the State FAC, establish subcommittees as deemed appropriate, to be responsive to the needs of the Secretary's Policy and Coordination Council.

(3) Insure that the rural development function in the state is addressed and its progress monitored.

(4) Issue State procedures to establish local (multicounty, county, parish, burrough) FAC's that will provide an effective coordinated team of USDA and other Federal agency personnel to be responsive to the needs of the State FAC as well as local requests for assistance.

6. OPERATIONS

The FAC s are comprised of USDA officials who serve on them as part of the official duties of their respective agency positions. The FAC of each State and other locations representing territories shall consist of the respective senior USDA Agency officials of: The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Economic Research Service, Extension Service, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, Food and Nutrition Service, Forest Service, Rural Electrification Administration, Soil Conservation Service, and the Statistical Reporting Service. Other USDA Agencies and Federal Agencies may be invited to be members at the discretion of the State FAC.

a. Officers. The State FAC members will elect as of October 1 of each year, a chairperson from among the Agencies responsible for implementing this regulation. The FAC shall have a recording secretary who may be a member of the chairperson's agency.

b. Meetings. Each State FAC will meet on the call of the Chairperson, but not less than once each quarter-year to address the objectives and interests of the respective USDA activities. The meetings are executive meetings of Federal Officials. Other persons, agencies, or groups may be invited to attend specific meetings when deemed appropriate. The proceedings of each meeting will be recorded by the FAC secretary.

Reporting. Each State FAC will provide two copies of the minutes of its meetings to the chairman of NFAC within two weeks after adjournment of such meetings. The Council will respond to all requests for information from NFAC provided they are in accordance with the responsibilities assigned in this regulation. Each council will be responsible for providing, not later than October 1 of each year, a current list of all its members, their addresses and phone numbers, to NFAC.