Background
The State Technical Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the implementation of the natural resources conservation provisions of Farm Bill legislation. The Committee is intended to include members from a wide variety of natural resource and agricultural interests.
Chaired by the NRCS State Conservationist, the Committee is composed of representatives from Federal and State natural resource agencies, American Indian Tribes, agricultural and environmental organizations, and agricultural producers.
The Committee meets regularly to provide information, analysis, and recommendations to appropriate USDA officials, who strongly consider their advice. Individuals or groups wanting to participate as members on a State Technical Committee may submit requests to the State Conservationist explaining their interest and relevant credentials.
More information about State Technical Committees, please visit our National website.
Illinois' State Technical Committee Members:
Chair: Ivan Dozier, Illinois NRCS State Conservationist
American Farmland Trust, Michael Baise
Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Lonnie Wilson
Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Rich Nichols
Department of Crop Sciences, Michael Gray
Ducks Unlimited, Eric Schenck
Claudia Emken
Environmental Law & Policy, Allen Grosboll
Farmer/Producer, Keith Walker
Farmers Union, Joyce Matthews
FSA State Committee, Darell Sarff
Kevin Fornoff
Growmark, Inc., Chuck Spencer
Jay Hayek
Illinois Agri-Women, Pat Lawfer
Illinois Association of RC&D, Cathy Brunner
Illinois Audubon Society, James O. Smith
Illinois Beef Association, Maralee Johnson
Illinois Cooperative Extension Service - Dept. of Ag. and Biological Eng., Mike Hirschi
Illinois Corn Growers Association, James Reed
Illinois Department of Agriculture, Steve Chard
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Marc Miller
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Michael Mason
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Mike Wefer
Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Shawn Wilcockson
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Dick Breckenridge
Illinois Farm Bureau, Mark Gebhards
Illinois Farm Bureau, Lauren Lurkins
Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, Jean Payne
Illinois Grassland Conservation Initiative, Cliff Schuette
Illinois Historical Preservation Agency, David Halpin
Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Janet Burtle-Doubet
Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, Stanley Seevers
Illinois Milk Producers Association, Jim Fraley
Illinois Pork Producers Association, Tim Maiers
Illinois Pork Producers Association, Jeff Galle
Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts Employee Rep., Jonathon Manuel
Illinois Specialty Growers Association, Diane Handley
Illinois State Horticultural Society, Chris Eckert & Don Naylor
Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Drew Thomason
Izaak Walton League of America, Olivia Dorothy
Ken Kesler
Lake Land College-IL Livestock Dev. Group, Curt Rincker
Robert Light
National Turkey Federation, Kent Adams
Nutrient Stewarship - IL Council on BMP, Dan Schaefer
Office of Lt. Governor, Marc Ayers
Pheasants Forever, Aaron Kuehl
Prairie Rivers Network, Stacy James
Rock Island Corps. of Engineers, Troy Hythacker
Soil-Right Consulting Services, Inc., Randy Darr
The Nature Conservancy, Bob Moseley
The Wetlands Initiative, Jill Kostel
USDA, Farm Service Agency, Scherri Giamanco
USDA, Farm Service Agency, Jamie Diebal
USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ivan Dozier
USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Eric Gerth
USDA, Rural Development, Colleen Calahan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Tom Davenport
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gwen Kolb
U.S. Forest Service, Theresa Heyer
USGS - Illinois Water Science Center, Gary Johnson
Village of Royal Lakes, Mayor London Simmons
Wildlife Management Solutions, Thomas Schwartz
