[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 29, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40982-40983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18180]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 29, 2017 / 
Notices  

[[Page 40982]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural 
Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, Specialty 
Crop Committee, and National Genetics Advisory Council

AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA.

ACTION: Re-opening of solicitation for membership.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces the re-opening of the 
solicitation for nominations to fill vacancies on the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) 
Advisory Board and its subcommittees. There are ten vacancies on the 
NAREEE Advisory Board; three vacancies on the Specialty Crop Committee; 
and three vacancies on the National Genetics Advisory Council. 
Nominations submitted during the original submission period do not need 
to be resubmitted.

DATES: All nomination materials should be submitted in a single, 
complete package and received or postmarked by August 31, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The nominee's name, resume or CV, completed and signed Form 
AD-755, and any letters of support must be submitted via one of the 
following methods: (1) Email to [email protected]; or (2) By mail 
delivery service to Sonny Perdue, Secretary, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250, 
Attention: NAREEE Advisory Board, Room 332A, Whitten Building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Esch, Director, National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 332A, The Whitten Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-2255; telephone: 202-720-3684; fax: 202-720-6199; 
email: [email protected]. Committee Web site: 
www.nareeeab.ree.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 16, 2017, the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture announced in a Federal Register notice that it was 
soliciting nominations for membership to fill vacancies on the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory 
Board and its subcommittees. The closing date for nominations was July 
31, 2017. This notice reopens the nomination period until August 31, 
2017 and an additional category for solicitation has been added. 
Nominations submitted during the original submission period do not need 
to be resubmitted. Nominations for the Citrus Disease Subcommittee will 
no longer be accepted; all positions are currently filled.
    Instructions for Nominations: Nominations are solicited from 
organizations, associations, societies, councils, federations, groups, 
and companies that represent a wide variety of food and agricultural 
interests throughout the country. Nominations for one individual who 
fits several of the categories listed above, or for more than one 
person who fits one category, will be accepted.
    Nomination letters must indicate the specific category for which 
the nominee is applying (i.e., for the Specialty Crop Committee or the 
National Genetics Advisory Council). Each nominee must submit a signed 
form AD-755, ``Advisory Committee Membership Background Information,'' 
which can be obtained from the contact person below or from: https://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/AD-755%20-%20Approved%20Master%202015.pdf).
    Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race, 
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical 
handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation. To ensure the 
recommendation of the Advisory Board take into account the needs of the 
diverse groups served by the USDA, membership shall include, to the 
extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent 
the needs of all racial and ethnic groups, women and men, and persons 
with disabilities.
    Please note, individuals may not serve on more than one USDA 
Federal Advisory Committee. Lobbyists who are registered with the 
Federal Government and who are selected to serve on committees to 
exercise their own individual best judgment on behalf of the government 
(e.g. as Special Government Employees) are ineligible to serve.
    All nominees will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, 
leadership, and relevance.
    All nominees will be vetted before selection.
    Appointments to the NAREEE Advisory Board and its subcommittees 
will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture.
    NAREEE Board: The NAREEE Advisory Board was established in 1996 via 
Section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3123) to provide advice to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and land-grant colleges and universities on 
top priorities and policies for food and agricultural research, 
education, extension, and economics. Section 1408 of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 was 
amended by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to reduce 
the number of members on the NAREEE Advisory Board to 25 members and 
required the Board to also provide advice to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives; the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; the Subcommittee on 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and 
Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives; and the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development 
and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
    Since the Advisory Board's inception by congressional legislation 
in 1996, each member has represented a specific category related to 
farming or ranching, food production and processing, forestry research, 
crop and animal science, land-grant institutions, non-land grant 
college or university with a historic commitment to research in the 
food and agricultural sciences, food retailing and

[[Page 40983]]

marketing, rural economic development, and natural resource and 
consumer interest groups, among many others. The Board was first 
appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture in September 1996, and one-
third of its members were appointed for a 1-, 2-, and 3-year term, 
respectively. The terms for ten members who represent specific 
categories will expire September 30, 2017. Nominations for a 3-year 
appointment for these ten vacant categories are sought. All nominees 
will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, leadership, and 
relevance to a category.
    The ten slots to be filled are:

Category B. Farm Cooperatives
Category D. Plant Commodity Producer
Category E. National Aquaculture Association
Category H. National Food Science Organization
Category J. National Nutritional Science Society
Category K. 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities
Category V. National Forestry Group
Category W. National Conservation or Natural Resource Group
Category Y. National Social Science Association
Category X. Private Sector Organization involved in International 
Development

    Specialty Crop Committee: The Specialty Crop Committee was created 
as a subcommittee of the NAREEE Advisory Board in accordance with the 
Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 under Title III, Section 
303 of Public Law 108-465. The committee was formulated to study the 
scope and effectiveness of research, extension, and economics programs 
affecting the specialty crop industry. The legislation defines 
``specialty crops'' as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and 
nursery crops (including floriculture). The Agricultural Act of 2014 
further expanded the scope of the Specialty Crop Committee to provide 
advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on the relevancy review process 
of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, a granting program of the 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
    Members should represent the breadth of the specialty crop 
industry. Six members of the Specialty Crop Committee are also members 
of the NAREEE Advisory Board and six members represent various 
disciplines of the specialty crop industry. The terms of three members 
will expire on September 30, 2017. The Specialty Crop Committee is 
soliciting nominations to fill three vacant positions to represent the 
specialty crop industry. Appointed members will serve three years with 
their terms expiring in September 2020.
    National Genetic Resources Advisory Council: The National Genetic 
Resources Advisory Council was re-established in 2012 as a permanent 
subcommittee of the NAREEE Advisory Board to formulate recommendations 
on actions and policies for the collection, maintenance, and 
utilization of genetic resources; to make recommendations for 
coordination of genetic resources plans of several domestic and 
international organizations; and to advise the Secretary of Agriculture 
and the National Genetic Resources Program, part of the Agricultural 
Research Service, of new and innovative approaches to genetic resources 
conservation.
    The National Genetic Resources Advisory Council membership is 
required to have two-thirds of the appointed members from scientific 
disciplines relevant to the National Genetic Resources Program, 
including agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, natural 
resource sciences, health sciences, and nutritional sciences; and one-
third of the appointed members from the general public including 
leaders in fields of public policy, trade, international development, 
law, or management.
    The terms of three members of the National Genetic Resources 
Advisory Council will expire on September 30, 2017. We are seeking 
nominations for a 3-year appointment effective October 1, 2017 through 
September 30, 2020. The three slots to be filled are to be composed of 
two scientific members and one general public member.
    Citrus Disease Subcommittee: USDA will no longer be accepting 
nomination packages for the Citrus Disease Subcommittee. All positions 
are currently filled.

    Done at Washington, DC, this day of August 21, 2017.
Ann Bartuska,
Acting Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 2017-18180 Filed 8-25-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-P