EPA seeks nominations for new Agricultural Science Committee

By Erin Voegele | December 26, 2014

The U.S. EPA has published a notice in the Federal Register inviting the public to nominate scientific experts to be considered for appointment to its Science Advisory Board Agricultural Science Committee.

According to the notice, the SAB was established in 1978 and provides independent advice to the administrator on general scientific and technical matters underlying the EPA’s policies and actions. “Members of the SAB and its subcommittees constitute a distinguished body of non-EPA scientists, engineers, economists, and social scientists that are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective fields,” said the EPA in the notice.

Members of the board are appointed by the EPA administrator, and generally serve for a three-year period. While the SAB was established decades ago, the development of the Agricultural Science Committee is new. According to the EPA, the agricultural committee is being established pursuant to section 12307 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the 2014 Farm Bill. The ASB Agricultural Science Committee will provide advice to the charted SAB on matters referred the board that EPA and the board, in consultation with the USDA, determine will have a significant direct impact on farming and agricultural-related industries. The notice specifies the initial appointees for the board will be in a mix of two- and three-year terms, in order to ensure rotation and staggered terms in the future.

The EPA is seeking nominations for the committee who demonstrate expertise in agricultural-related sciences, including agricultural economics, valuation of ecosystem goods and services, agricultural chemistry, agricultural engineering, agronomy and soil science, aquaculture science, biofuels engineering, biotechnology, crop and animal science, environmental chemistry, forestry and hydrology.

Nominations are due Jan. 30. Additional information and directions on how to submit nominations are available on the Federal Register website.