The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) provides recommendations for establishing technical guidelines and program criteria and priorities necessary to carry out conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
The role of the Committee is advisory in nature. Although the STAC has no implementation or enforcement authority, NRCS gives strong consideration to the Committee’s recommendations. The NRCS reserves the authority to accept or reject the Committee’s recommendations.
Members may be polled, but voting on issues is not appropriate. Meeting summaries or notes may be made, but official minutes are not required.
The NRCS State Conservationist is the chair of the Committee and ensures that:
- The Committee meets at least twice a year at a time and place designated by the State Conservationist.
- Meetings are typically held in-person and also include a virtual option using Microsoft Teams.
- Meetings are open to the public.
- Meetings are conducted as an open discussion with pre-scheduled agenda topics.
The Committee should include members from a wide variety of natural resource and agricultural interests, such as:
- Agricultural producers
- Owners and operators of nonindustrial private forest land
- American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes or Corporations
- Agricultural and environmental organizations
- Federal, state, and local government agencies with an interest in natural resources and agriculture
- Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Tribal Conservation Districts
Membership should also include other professionals who represent a variety of interests and disciplines in the soil, water, wetlands, plant, and wildlife sciences.
The Committee provides information, analysis, and recommendations to appropriate USDA officials who are charged with implementing and establishing priorities and criteria for natural resources conservation activities and programs under Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (Farm Bill).
Topics addressed may include:
- Criteria to be used in prioritizing program applications
- State-specific application criteria
- Priority natural resource concerns in the state
- Emerging natural resource concerns and program needs
- Conservation practice standards and specifications
- Technical Service Providers (TSPs)
- Provide information, analysis, and recommendations to NRCS on conservation priorities, including
application and funding criteria, recommended practices, and program payments - Identify emerging natural resource concerns and program needs
- Recommend conservation practice standards and specifications
- Recommend state program policy based on resource data
- Make recommendations to the State Conservationist on requests from Local Working Groups
- Assist NRCS with public outreach and information efforts and identify producers’ educational or training needs
STAC meetings are open to the public and Committee membership is by invitation from the State Conservationist. To inquire about membership, contact the representatives listed below.
STAC Sub-Committees: Local Working Groups
The State Technical Advisory Committee includes sub-committees called Local Working Groups (LWG). LWGs are an important mechanism to give local landowners, Tribes, tribal entities, and partners a voice in how to best prioritize and address natural resource concerns in their communities. LWGs typically are held annually between October and February. They are convened by a Soil and Water Conservation District or a Tribal Conservation District.
STAC Members
USDA Agencies
USDA Agencies
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Members:
- Alan D. McBee, State Conservationist and Chair of the STAC
- Josh Schrecengost, State Resource Conservationist
- Austin Shero, Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations
- Brett Nelson, State Conservation Engineer
- Cory Cole, State Soil Scientist
- Jackie Kragel, Acting Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships
- Elizabeth Bezinque, Acting Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
- Tracy Robillard, Public Affairs Specialist
USDA Farm Service Agency Members
- Arthur Keyes, State Executive Director
- Shelby Johnson, Deputy State Executive Director
- Erin Sturdivant, Agricultural Program Manager
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Emily Becker, District Manager, Anchorage SWCD
- Dan Rees, Board Chair, Fairbanks SWCD
- Meg Burgett, Board Chair, Wasilla SWCD
- Blythe Brown, District Manager, Kodiak SWCD
- Bruce Bush, Board Chair, Palmer SWCD
- Tony Williams, Board Chair, Salcha Delta SWCD
- Kyra Wagner, District Manager, Homer SWCD
- Mitch Michaud, Board Member, Kenai SWCD
- Mark Gutman, District Manager, Upper Susitna SWCD
- Helen Wiggins, Alaska Association of Conservation Districts
- Carly Pierson, District Manager, Kenai SWCD
Tribal Conservation Districts
Tribal Conservation Districts
- Karen Linnell, Executive Director, Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission TCD
- Julia George, General Manager, Akiachak Limited / Akiachak TCD
- Noell George, Tribal Administrator, Akiachak Native Community
- Beks Rumley, Climate Change Coordinator, Chugach Regional Resources Commission TCD
- Malia Acovak, Qutekcak Native Tribe
- Theo Garcia, Knik TCD Coordinator, TCD
- Laurie Stuart, Executive Director, Tyonek TCD
- Suzanne Little, Deputy Administrator, Bering Sea Interior Commission TCD
- Ray Atwood, Asa'carsarmiut TCD
- Deanna Snyder, Togiak TCD
Federal and State Agencies
Federal and State Agencies
Federal Agencies:
- Helen Durisko, Acting Deputy Forester, U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region
- Sara Boario, Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska
- Michael Daigneault, Habitat Restoration and Partnerships Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska
State Agencies:
- Bryan Scoresby, Director, Alaska Division of Agriculture
- Casey Dinkel, Manager, Plant Materials Center, Alaska Division of Agriculture
- Nate Wilson, Forest Stewardship Coordinator, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection
- Trevor Dobell, Cooperative Forestry Supervisor, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection
- Rachel Longacre, Chief of Operations, Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water
- Karin Hendrickson, Pesticide Program Manager, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Non-Governmental Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
- Jodie Anderson, Director, University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Megan Andersen, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Soils
- David Krause, Vice President of the Alaska Program, Audubon Alaska
- Leanna Heffner, Director, Northwest Boreal Partnership, Alaska Conservation Foundation
- Abby Austin, Executive Director, Alaska Farmland Trust
- Kelsey Schober, Director of Government Affairs, The Nature Conservancy in Alaska
- Monica Iglecia, Pacific Birds U.S. Coordinator, Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture
- Amy Seitz, Acting Executive Director, Alaska Farm Bureau
- John Morton, Vice President, Alaska Wildlife Alliance
- Kate Morse, Executive Director, Copper River Watershed Project
- John Wros, Alaska State Director and Northwest Field Representative, The Conservation Fund
- Natalie Solares, Interregional Manager (West) for Technical Assistance, Intertribal Agricultural Council
- Charles Parker, President and CEO, Alaska Village Initiatives
- Alana Peterson, Executive Director, Spruce Root
- Kaitlyn Demoski, Alaska Region Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society
- Kristi Tapio-Harper, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society
- Katie Herzner, Intertribal Agricultural Council
Agricultural Producers
Agricultural Producers
- Peter Olsen, Director of Lands and Natural Resources, Koniag, Inc.
- Jason Pyron, Owner of Triple P Ranch / Alaska Meat Company (Sitkinak Island Ranch)
- Carey Restino, Owner of Homer Hilltop Farm
- Rachel Lord, agricultural producer in Homer
- Max Lyons, Sustainable Food Systems Catalyst, Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute
- Amy Erfling, Central Council Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska
- Jason Gubatayao, Sealaska
- Paul Slenkamp, Consultant with Cape Fox Corporation
- Quinn Aboudara, Shaan Seet, Inc.
- Tom Zimmer, Calypso Farm and Ecology Center
- Bryce Wrigley, Alaska Flour Company
- Jessica Hay, producer in Wasilla
Tribal Landowners
Tribal Landowners
- Malia Villegas, Senior VP of Community Investments, Afognak Native Corporation
- Tim Lorenzini, Director of Land and Natural Resources, Ahtna, Incorporated
- Mary Martinez, Land Planner, Calista Corporation
- Myron P. Naneng, Chief Operating Officer, Sea Lion Corporation
- David Kroto, Lands Administrator, Tyonek Native Corporation
- Fawn Silas, Administrator, Nondalton Tribal Council
- Mark Johnson, CEO, Unalakleet Native Corporation
- Andrew Tunnell, Lands Specialist, Doyon Limited