[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11739-11741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05938]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 60 / Thursday, March 28, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 11739]]



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, Citrus Disease Subcommittee, and National Genetic 
Resources Advisory Council

AGENCY: National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and 
Economics Advisory Board, Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: 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 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 is one vacancy on the 
NAREEE Advisory Board; nine vacancies on the National Genetic Resources 
Advisory Council; three vacancies on the Specialty Crop Committee; and 
eight vacancies on the Citrus Disease Subcommittee.

DATES: All nomination materials should be submitted in a single, 
complete package and received or postmarked by April 26, 2019.

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 (preferred) to [email protected]; (2) 
By fax to 202-720-6199; or (3) By mail delivery service to: REE 
Advisory Board Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, Room 332-A, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-2255.

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 website: 
www.nareeeab.ree.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    Nominees may be considered for the NAREEE Board and or a 
subcommittee and may be considered for more than one category and/or 
subcommittee dependent on the nominee's qualifications. 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). A resume or CV should also 
be submitted. Letters of nomination or support are encouraged. 
Nomination letters must indicate the specific Board and/or subcommittee 
AND the category(s) for which the nominee is applying.
    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 takes 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. Individuals appointed to 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.

National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics 
Advisory 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. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
reduced the number of 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. Subsequently, Section 7103 of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 further reduced the number of 
members to 15 and changed the categories of membership for the advisory 
board. The new membership categories are:
    (1) 3 members representing National Farm or Producer Organizations, 
which may include members:
    a. representing farm cooperatives;
    b. who are a food animal commodity producer recommended by a 
national livestock organization;
    c. who are a plant commodity producer recommended by a national 
crop organization; or
    d. who are an aquaculture producer recommended by a national 
aquaculture organization.
    (2) 2 members representing Academic or Research Societies, which 
may include members representing:
    a. national food animal science society;
    b. national crop, soil, agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology, or 
weed science society;
    c. national food science organization;

[[Page 11740]]

    d. national human health association; or
    e. national nutritional science society.
    (3) 5 members representing Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education, which shall include:
    a. 1 member representing the 1862 land-grant colleges and 
universities.
    b. 1 member representing the 1890 land-grant colleges and 
universities, including Tuskegee University.
    c. 1 member representing the 1994 Equity in Education land-grant 
institution
    d. 1 member representing non-land grant colleges of agriculture 
(NLGCA) institutions or Hispanic-serving institutions.
    e. 1 member representing American colleges of veterinary medicine.
    (4) 5 members representing Industry, Consumer, or Rural Interests, 
including members representing:
    a. transportation of food and agricultural products to domestic and 
foreign markets;
    b. food retailing and marketing interests;
    c. food and fiber processors;
    d. rural economic development interests;
    e. a national consumer interest group;
    f. a national forestry group;
    g. a national conservation or natural resource group;
    h. a national social science association;
    i. private sector organizations involved in international 
development; or
    j. a national association of agricultural economists.
    USDA intends to re-appoint the existing members to the NAREEE 
Advisory Board and fill one vacancy. Nominations for a three-year 
appointment for one category are being sought. The one available 
position to be filled is:
    (1) Agricultural Research, Extension and Education.
    d. 1 member representing non-land grant colleges of agriculture 
(NLGCA) institutions or Hispanic-serving institutions.
    All nominees will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, 
leadership, and relevance to the vacant category.

National Genetic Resources Advisory Council

    The National Genetic Resources Advisory Council was originally 
established in March, 1992 via section 1634 (7 U.S.C. 5843) of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 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. It was subsequently re-established in 
2012 as a permanent subcommittee of the NAREEE Advisory Board. The 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 further expanded the 
responsibilities of the Council to include recommendations on cultivar 
development. The bill also increased the number of members from 9 to 13 
and changed the membership categories of the National Genetic Resources 
Advisory Council. The new membership categories are:
    (1) 6 of the members shall be appointed from scientific disciplines 
relevant to the National Genetic Resources Program, including 
agricultural sciences, economics and policy, environmental sciences, 
natural resource sciences, health sciences, and nutritional sciences.
    (2) 3 of the members shall be appointed from the general public and 
shall include leaders in fields of public policy, community 
development, trade, international development, law, or management.
    (3) 4 of the members shall be appointed from among individuals with 
expertise in cultivar development and animal breed development.
    (4) 4 of the members shall be appointed from among individuals 
representing:
    a. 1862 land-grant colleges and universities;
    b. 1890 land-grant colleges and universities;
    c. Hispanic-serving institutions; or
    d. 1994 Equity in Education land-grant institutions.
    The Council currently has 4 members who will be re-appointed by 
USDA. Nominations are being sought for the following categories:
     three (3) scientific members;
     two (2) general public members; and
     four (4) public cultivar development and animal breed 
development.
    Note: At least one of these new members must also represent an 1862 
land-grant college or university; an 1890 land-grant college or 
university; a Hispanic-serving institution; or a 1994 Equity in 
Education land-grant university.
    Appointed members will serve for two- or four-years in order to 
properly stagger the term limits. All nominees will be carefully 
reviewed for their expertise, leadership, and relevance to a category.

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 grant 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 represent various 
disciplines of the specialty crop industry; the remaining members are 
appointed from the NAREEE Advisory Board. The terms of three members 
expired on September 30, 2018. The Specialty Crop Committee is 
soliciting nominations to fill three (3) vacant positions to represent 
the specialty crop industry. Appointed members will serve for three-
years. All nominees will be carefully reviewed for their expertise, 
leadership, and relevance to a category.
    Citrus Disease Subcommittee: The Citrus Disease Subcommittee was 
established by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Sec. 7104) as a 
subcommittee of the NAREEE Advisory Board to advise the Secretary of 
Agriculture on citrus research, extension, and development needs, 
engage in regular consultation and collaboration with USDA and other 
organizations involved in citrus, and provide recommendations for 
research and extension activities related to citrus disease.
    Section 7104 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 amended the 
membership of the Citrus Disease Subcommittee to increase the number of 
members from 9 members to 11. Members of the Citrus Disease 
Subcommittee must be a producer of citrus with representation from the 
following States: five members from Arizona or California, five members

[[Page 11741]]

from Florida, and one member from Texas. The Citrus Disease 
Subcommittee is soliciting nominations to fill eight (8) vacant 
positions:
     Three (3) positions representing Florida.
     Four (4) positions representing California or Arizona.
     One (1) position representing Texas.
    Appointed members will serve one-, two-, or three-year terms in 
order to properly stagger term rotation. All nominees will be carefully 
reviewed for their expertise, leadership, and relevance to a category.

    Done at Washington, DC, this day of March 14th, 2019.
Steve Censky,
Deputy Secretary, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2019-05938 Filed 3-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-03-P