WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2004—The U.S. Department of Agriculture today signed a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the American Fisheries Society (AFS),
giving conservation program participants the option to obtain technical
assistance in fisheries resources and aquatic habitat from certified technical
service providers (TSPs).
The 2002 Farm Bill expanded the availability of technical assistance to private
landowners by encouraging the use of TSPs to allow for more conservation
technical assistance services to farmers, ranchers and others.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight and AFS Executive
Director Ghassan Rassam signed the five-year MOU at an event at USDA-NRCS
national headquarters.
“This agreement allows conservation program participants the option of selecting
certified fisheries professionals who meet stringent educational, ethical and
professional requirements to get the job done,” Knight said. “More experts now
are available to provide quality assistance to enable producers to better
maintain, restore and enhance their fisheries and aquatic habitat resources
effectively.”
The MOU allows AFS to recommend qualified members to USDA for certification as
TSPs to provide services related to fisheries resources and aquatic habitat.
Their work must meet USDA standards and specifications for quality conservation
technical assistance.
AFS is the world’s oldest and largest society for fisheries professionals.
Founded in 1870, the organization’s mission is to promote the conservation,
development and wise use of fisheries. AFS, a private, nonprofit organization,
is headquartered in Bethesda, Md.
Certified TSPs are listed on a web-based national registry called TechReg.
Farmers, ranchers and other landowners seeking conservation technical assistance
can locate a TSP through this registry.
In addition to AFS, USDA has signed MOUs with 10 certifying
organizations—American Society of Agronomy, Society for Range Management, Iowa
State University, The Wildlife Society, Society of American Foresters, The
Irrigation Association, University of Tennessee, National Alliance of
Independent Crop Consultants, Environmental Management Solutions and American
Registry of Professional Animal Scientists.
The MOUs allow these organizations to recommend qualified individuals to USDA
for certification as technical service providers in conservation planning and
design, layout, installation and checkout of approved conservation practices.
Additional information on technical service provider assistance is available at
http://techreg.usda.gov.
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The Natural Resources
Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help
people
conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
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