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. Learn more about TechReg...

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)
 

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