§ 3861 — Establishment Of State Technical Committees

(a) The Secretary shall establish a technical committee in each State to assist the Secretary in the considerations relating to implementation and technical aspects of the conservation programs under this chapter. (b) The Secretary shall review and update as necessary— (1) standard operating procedures to standardize the operations of State technical committees; and (2) standards to be used by State technical committees in the development of technical guidelines for the implementation of the conservation provisions of this chapter. (c) Each State technical committee shall be composed of agricultural producers and other professionals that represent a variety of disciplines in the soil, water, wetland, and wildlife sciences. The technical committee for a State shall include representatives from among the following: (1) The Natural Resources Conservation Service. (2) The Farm Service Agency. (3) The Forest Service. (4) The National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (5) The State fish and wildlife agency. (6) The State forester or equivalent State official. (7) The State water resources agency. (8) The State department of agriculture. (9) The State association of soil and water conservation districts. (10) Agricultural producers representing the variety of crops and livestock or poultry raised within the State. (11) Owners of nonindustrial private forest land. (12) Nonprofit organizations within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of title 26 with demonstrable conservation expertise and experience working with agriculture producers in the State. (13) Agribusiness. (14) The State Cooperative Extension Service and land grant university in the State.