NASDA Policy Process
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture 4350 North Fairfax Drive Suite 910 Arlington, VA 22203 Tel: 202-296-9680 | Fax: 703-880-0509 www.nasda.org
NASDA Policy Process NASDA members consider, debate, and vote on association policy and Action Items during both the Winter Policy Conference and Annual Meeting. These votes occur during the meetings of NASDA’s six standing policy committees. All NASDA members are members of all standing policy committees. Policy Amendments and Action Items: Policy Amendments (PA) either create a new section or amend an existing section of NASDA’s Policy Statements. PAs establish general policy principles of the association and guide NASDA’s policy prioritization process and engagement. Example: Endangered Species Act Policy Amendment Action Items (AI) highlight a specific current issue Members feel NASDA should act on or other priority issues. AIs do not establish NASDA policy and must comply with existing policy or be accompanied by a corresponding PA. Example: Waters of the U.S. Action Item Throughout the policy process, NASDA staff are available to provide feedback on formatting, where the item should be placed in the policy book, content development, etc. NASDA policy staff can provide guidance on whether a Policy Amendment or Action Item is more appropriate for individual situations. Please refer to the next page of this document for how to compose PA/AIs. Deadlines and Process: Items submitted after the announced deadline require a two-thirds vote for passage. Once PAs/AIs are publicly on the NASDA website (approximately one week prior to the meeting), additional items must be submitted through a regional association during the opening day of a meeting and filed electronically with NASDA staff within 30 minutes of the close of regional meetings. Regions and Affiliates: NASDA Regional Associations (NEASDA, SASDA, MASDA, and WASDA) and NASDA Affiliates (a list is available at www.nasda.org/affiliates.aspx) can forward PA/AIs for consideration by NASDA members. Items must be sponsored by a NASDA Member and submitted electronically to NASDA staff prior to the announced deadlines (with the exception mentioned above for some items from Regional Associations). Committee Jurisdiction: The committee with jurisdiction over an item will vote to approve, approve with amendment, or reject PAs/AIs. This vote is considered final action by NASDA. If an item is relevant to the jurisdiction of multiple committees, the item will be referred to both committees. Policy items are typically only considered during the first committee for final action. However, the other committee of jurisdiction has the option to consider the item as well. NASDA Policy Engagement: After PAs/AIs are adopted by NASDA Members, NASDA staff, as appropriate, evaluate and prioritize against resources and the three-tiered NASDA Policy Priorities established annually by the Board of Directors during the Winter Policy Conference. Then, staff develop strategic issue management plans, and execute action plans, to impact and influence on the issue.
NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders.
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture 4350 North Fairfax Drive Suite 910 Arlington, VA 22203 Tel: 202-296-9680 | Fax: 703-880-0509 www.nasda.org
Preparing Policy Amendments and Action Items How to Add a New Policy Section
If you would like to add a completely new section to NASDA’s policy book that current policy does not address, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy o Step 2: Write brief introduction paragraph (2-3 sentences) o Step 3: Add a bulleted list of principled policy statements o Step 4: Submit policy amendment on the Policy Amendment Form Example: 13.3 Rural Lending The Farm Credit System (FCS) has a long history of working with agricultural borrowers and one of its strengths is an understanding of agricultural enterprises. NASDA supports the critical and unique role FCS plays as a supplier of accessible credit for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. 1. NASDA believes the constantly changing nature of American agriculture calls for flexible, accessible Farm Credit programs that support rural and farm economy development. 2. Farm Credit should be provided with the authority to finance value-added enterprises.
How to Revise Existing Policy
If you would like to revise existing NASDA policy, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy o Step 2: Add principled policy statements to appropriate section o Step 3: Submit policy amendment on the Policy Amendment Form Example: 13.3 Rural Lending The Farm Credit System (FCS) has a long history of working with agricultural borrowers and one of its strengths is an understanding of agricultural enterprises. NASDA supports the critical and unique role FCS plays as a supplier of accessible credit for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. 1. NASDA believes the constantly changing nature of American agriculture calls for flexible, accessible Farm Credit programs that support rural and farm economy development *insert* that support farm profit viability. 2. *Insert* Farm Credit should be provided with the authority to finance value-added enterprises.
How to Write an Action Item
If you would like to highlight a current issue for NASDA action, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy to see if the proposed action item aligns with NASDA policy o Step 2: Write action oriented statement that helps guide NASDA engagement o Step 3: Submit action item on the Action Item Form Example: NASDA urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to withdraw the proposed Waters of the US rules under the Clean Water Act. EPA and the Corps should initiate robust, meaningful, and collaborative consultation with state agencies and agency associations.
NASDA Policy Process NASDA members consider, debate, and vote on association policy and Action Items during both the Winter Policy Conference and Annual Meeting. These votes occur during the meetings of NASDA’s six standing policy committees. All NASDA members are members of all standing policy committees. Policy Amendments and Action Items: Policy Amendments (PA) either create a new section or amend an existing section of NASDA’s Policy Statements. PAs establish general policy principles of the association and guide NASDA’s policy prioritization process and engagement. Example: Endangered Species Act Policy Amendment Action Items (AI) highlight a specific current issue Members feel NASDA should act on or other priority issues. AIs do not establish NASDA policy and must comply with existing policy or be accompanied by a corresponding PA. Example: Waters of the U.S. Action Item Throughout the policy process, NASDA staff are available to provide feedback on formatting, where the item should be placed in the policy book, content development, etc. NASDA policy staff can provide guidance on whether a Policy Amendment or Action Item is more appropriate for individual situations. Please refer to the next page of this document for how to compose PA/AIs. Deadlines and Process: Items submitted after the announced deadline require a two-thirds vote for passage. Once PAs/AIs are publicly on the NASDA website (approximately one week prior to the meeting), additional items must be submitted through a regional association during the opening day of a meeting and filed electronically with NASDA staff within 30 minutes of the close of regional meetings. Regions and Affiliates: NASDA Regional Associations (NEASDA, SASDA, MASDA, and WASDA) and NASDA Affiliates (a list is available at www.nasda.org/affiliates.aspx) can forward PA/AIs for consideration by NASDA members. Items must be sponsored by a NASDA Member and submitted electronically to NASDA staff prior to the announced deadlines (with the exception mentioned above for some items from Regional Associations). Committee Jurisdiction: The committee with jurisdiction over an item will vote to approve, approve with amendment, or reject PAs/AIs. This vote is considered final action by NASDA. If an item is relevant to the jurisdiction of multiple committees, the item will be referred to both committees. Policy items are typically only considered during the first committee for final action. However, the other committee of jurisdiction has the option to consider the item as well. NASDA Policy Engagement: After PAs/AIs are adopted by NASDA Members, NASDA staff, as appropriate, evaluate and prioritize against resources and the three-tiered NASDA Policy Priorities established annually by the Board of Directors during the Winter Policy Conference. Then, staff develop strategic issue management plans, and execute action plans, to impact and influence on the issue.
NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders.
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture 4350 North Fairfax Drive Suite 910 Arlington, VA 22203 Tel: 202-296-9680 | Fax: 703-880-0509 www.nasda.org
Preparing Policy Amendments and Action Items How to Add a New Policy Section
If you would like to add a completely new section to NASDA’s policy book that current policy does not address, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy o Step 2: Write brief introduction paragraph (2-3 sentences) o Step 3: Add a bulleted list of principled policy statements o Step 4: Submit policy amendment on the Policy Amendment Form Example: 13.3 Rural Lending The Farm Credit System (FCS) has a long history of working with agricultural borrowers and one of its strengths is an understanding of agricultural enterprises. NASDA supports the critical and unique role FCS plays as a supplier of accessible credit for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. 1. NASDA believes the constantly changing nature of American agriculture calls for flexible, accessible Farm Credit programs that support rural and farm economy development. 2. Farm Credit should be provided with the authority to finance value-added enterprises.
How to Revise Existing Policy
If you would like to revise existing NASDA policy, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy o Step 2: Add principled policy statements to appropriate section o Step 3: Submit policy amendment on the Policy Amendment Form Example: 13.3 Rural Lending The Farm Credit System (FCS) has a long history of working with agricultural borrowers and one of its strengths is an understanding of agricultural enterprises. NASDA supports the critical and unique role FCS plays as a supplier of accessible credit for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. 1. NASDA believes the constantly changing nature of American agriculture calls for flexible, accessible Farm Credit programs that support rural and farm economy development *insert* that support farm profit viability. 2. *Insert* Farm Credit should be provided with the authority to finance value-added enterprises.
How to Write an Action Item
If you would like to highlight a current issue for NASDA action, please follow the below steps: o Step 1: Assess existing policy to see if the proposed action item aligns with NASDA policy o Step 2: Write action oriented statement that helps guide NASDA engagement o Step 3: Submit action item on the Action Item Form Example: NASDA urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to withdraw the proposed Waters of the US rules under the Clean Water Act. EPA and the Corps should initiate robust, meaningful, and collaborative consultation with state agencies and agency associations.
