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Federal Agency Seeks Public Comments on Amended Technical Service Provider
Process
Contact: Sylvia Rainford (202) 720-2536
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2009—U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Natural Resources Conservation Service
(USDA-NRCS) Chief Arlen Lancaster today announced that USDA-NRCS is seeking
public comment on changes to the Technical
Service Provider (TSP) process, designed to help farmers and ranchers apply
or implement conservation practices on their operations.
![Visit TechReg! NRCS' online tool for Technical Service Providers to register, become certified, and manage their TSP profiles. TechReg also helps landowners locate and choose certified registered technical service providers who can help them meet their conservation goals.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090305044253im_/http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/images/tsp_logo.jpg)
Visit TechReg!
NRCS' online tool for Technical Service Providers to register, become
certified, and manage their TSP profiles. TechReg also helps landowners
locate and choose certified registered technical service providers who
can help them meet their conservation goals.
Learn more about TechReg...
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USDA-NRCS released an interim final rule today that contains the changes. The
rule, published in the Federal Register, is open for public comments. Public
comments must be submitted by March 17.
“The 2008 Farm Bill increased the availability and range of technical expertise
available to producers to plan and implement conservation practices,” Lancaster
said. “Technical service providers help to ensure all landowners receive timely
technical assistance services at a reasonable cost.”
The TSP interim final rule can be viewed at the USDA-NRCS Web site; at the
official government regulation Web site; and at the
Federal
Register.
The public comments will be used to finalize the interim final rule. USDA will
publish a final rule, which will incorporate statutory changes and establish the
program’s policy for the life of the 2008 Farm Bill.
TSPs are individuals, private businesses, non-profit organizations or public
agencies outside of USDA that help agricultural producers apply conservation
practices on their land. These certified professionals provide convenient access
to technical services, quality work and professional one-on-one technical
assistance to landowners and producers who need technical assistance. TSPs can
develop conservation plans and perform selected compliance studies; plan, design
and layout conservation practices; and check out completed practices. The TSP
process was first authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill, which expanded the USDA-NRCS
authority to increase technical assistance available to help landowners meet
their conservation goals.
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, or 2008 Farm Bill, amended the
TSP process. Changes include a nationally consistent certification process for
TSPs and national approval of any additional certification requirements required
by NRCS state offices. Another change called for USDA-NRCS to establish fair and
reasonable payment rates for TSPs.
The legislation also honed the TSP process. It defined eligible participants as
producers, landowners and entities that are eligible to participate in USDA
conservation programs. It also added the Agricultural Management Assistance
Program, now available in 16 states. It also stated that Commodity Credit
Corporation funds must be available for technical assistance from TSPs.
USDA-NRCS certifies TSPs and lists them on a national, Web-based registry called
TechReg. Farmers, ranchers and other
landowners seeking conservation technical assistance can locate a TSP through
this registry. More than 1,500 certified TSPs nationwide can be found in Tech
Reg.
Under the TSP process, producers can receive assistance from USDA-NRCS directly,
through an agreement with a third-party provider, or through a payment to the
eligible participant for assistance from an approved third party provider.
Producers can receive both financial and technical assistance. However,
producers only needing technical assistance can enter into an agreement for
these services with USDA-NRCS.
TSP agreements run from one year to three years. USDA-NRCS will review the
certification requirements of third-party providers within one year of the
enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill.
For additional information about the TSP process, please visit
TechReg or call (202) 720-6731 during
business hours.
Links...
See
Federal Register Notice -
Technical
Service Provider Interim final rule with request for comment.
Federal Agency
Seeks Public Comments on Amended Technical Service Provider Process news release (formatted)
< 2009 NRCS Newsroom
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