Get Involved in a Local Working Group?

Local Working Groups are composed of agricultural producers, owners/operators of nonindustrial private forest land, professionals representing agricultural and natural resource interests, and individuals representing a variety of disciplines in the soil, water, wetland, plant, forestry, and wildlife sciences who are familiar with agricultural and natural resource issues in the local community.

Local Working Groups provide recommendations to the District Conservationist and the State Conservationist on local natural resource priorities and criteria for conservation activities and programs.

Local Working Group membership aims to be diverse and focus on agricultural interests and natural resource issues existing in the local community. To ensure that recommendations of the Local Working Group take into account the needs of diverse groups served by USDA, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent the conservation concerns of particular historically underserved groups and individuals including, but not limited to, minorities; women; persons with disabilities; and socially and economically disadvantaged groups.

Individuals or groups wanting to become a member of a Local Working Group may submit to the Local Working Group Chairperson and the NRCS District Conservationist, a request that explains their interest and outlines their credentials for becoming a member of the Local Working Group. The District Conservationist will assist the soil and water conservation district in making decisions concerning membership of the group.

Local Working Group meetings are open to the public. Individuals attending the Local Working Group meetings will be given the opportunity to address the Local Working Group.

The meetings will be conducted as an open discussion among members. Discussion will focus on identifying local natural resource concerns that can be treated using programs and activities. Summaries for all Local Working Group meetings will be available at the appropriate local NRCS office.

Local Working Group recommendations are to be submitted to State Technical Committee Chairperson and/or the District Conservationist. 

Contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service or the local conservation district in your county for more information. The NRCS office is listed in the telephone book under U.S. Government, U.S. Department of Agriculture or click here for more information about Local Work Groups in Georgia.

For more information about Local Working Groups, read  A Seat at the Table for Conservation Policy .