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Oregon NRCS/FSA Civil Rights Committee Minutes
 

SUBJECT:   Meeting Date - May 14, 2008

Purpose:  The following minutes were recorded at the quarterly civil rights committee meeting held
in Redmond Oregon USDA Service Center.

Civil Rights Advisory Committee Member

Attendance:

  • Misty Vega Falcon, NRCS, Chair, Hispanic Emphasis Program Manager
  • Amy Bell, FSA, Member-at-Large
  • Cory Owens, NRCS, Black Emphasis Program Manager
  • Dave Dishman, NRCS, Asian/Pacific Islander Emphasis Program Manager
  • Gina Kerzman, NRCS, American Indian Emphasis Program Manager
  • Kacee Lathrop, NRCS, Disabilities Emphasis Program Manager
  • Leo Preston, NRCS, Member-at-Large
  • Pedro Ramos, NRCS, Leader – Field Operations
  • Phil Morton, FSA, Special Emphasis Program Manage

Absent:

  • Darca Glasgow, FSA, Civil Rights Coordinator
  • Nick Vira, NRCS, Member-at-Large
  • Trent Luschen, FSA, Member-at-Large

Others Present:

  • Jeff Goebel, NRCS, Watershed Planner
  • Jim Regan-Vienop, NRCS, Natural Resources Specialist
  • Meta Loftsgaarden, NRCS, Partnership Liaison
  • Tom Makowski, NRCS, Leader-Watershed Planning

Agenda and Important Dates:

Reviewed agenda and made additions and corrections before meeting began.
August 21, 2008: teleconference, 10 am – noon

Old Business:

Misty has revised the preliminary and final letters that are used when completing the annual civil rights compliance reviews for the field offices. She will be sending them electronically to the team.

Pedro has put together a spreadsheet to be used by DC’s during their office reviews for program statistics. Reports can easily be run in PRS by fiscal year for populating the spreadsheet. Misty will send this electronically to the team.

Accomplishments

Misty asked the team to give an update on recent accomplishments. Cory attended the OSU Ag Showcase in April and felt is was the best career fair she has ever recruited at. Jeremy Baker assisted her with this event and she could not speak highly enough of him. Cory wrote a write-up about this event and Misty has forwarded that on to Bob Graham. Cory also noted that she was aware of a potluck occurring at the Eugene field office for Asian/Pacific Islander Awareness Month.

Kacee and others from the Pendleton Service Center recruited at the high school FFA State Convention held in Pendleton. The Pendleton Service Center is also holding a potluck for Asian/Pacific Islander Awareness Month with Pho Ga and Rice wraps being prepared by Martin Nguyen (FSA CED).

Student Career Experience Program Update

It was of great concern to the team at the last meeting that the SCEP vacancy announcement had to be extended due to the lack of applications. Misty announced that Oregon has hired 4 students. 2 Asian who will be placed in Baker City and Tangent Field offices, 1 female who will be stationed in Moro and 1 white male whose location has yet to be determined. Misty said that they plan to hold another student conclave to get a prospective from all the SCEP students on how their experience has been. They hope to hold the meeting earlier this year and maybe a quick recap at the end of the summer. Cory mentioned that she would like to be involved in the conclave since she helped recruit most of the students hired.

Team Notes

Both Misty and Cory announced their upcoming births and plans for maternity leave during the months of October-January. Cory mentioned that since she lives in Corvallis she would still be willing to recruit during her leave. Misty mentioned that a person from the team will be selected to cover the position as Civil Rights Chair while she is on leave.

Asian/Pacific Islander Awareness Month

Misty presented a power point presentation and DVD to the team on the Japanese Internment Camps. Misty would like to present this to the Oregon Leadership team, if she gets Bob Graham’s blessing. Credit for the presentation is given to Leslie Kelley in Klamath Falls, who shared it with her basin for awareness of the camps located near Tule Lake.

Oregon Safety Committee

Cory mentioned that a safety committee for Oregon is forming. The purpose of the committee is to formalize the basin safety office and safety policies for the state. The team had concerns that there is no connection between safety and civil rights and that the civil rights team should act only as an advisory role. The safety committee will be looking to the Civil Rights Committee for guidance on how to run the committee and for the application process for vacancies on the committee. The team suggested basin representatives for the committee and to diversify with different ages, sexes and job titles to ensure all concerns were addressed. It was also noted that it is best to have an open application process and to possibly include FSA, RD, and SWCD’s.

National Review Findings

Misty discussed the national review and noted that we are still waiting on the final write-up from the review team and that apparently they don’t have to follow policy for completing the write-ups. Misty mentioned several accomplishments noted by the national team and also some of their recommendations and action items. She also said that Bob is challenging some of the recommendations and action items with current policy so we will discuss this again in a future meeting after the final write-up is received.

Civil Rights Team Vacancies

Misty mentioned that there are currently several vacancies on the Civil Rights team. The Federal Women’s Program Manager Position has been announced and she will send the applications via email for the team to review and comment. Other positions opening up are Hispanic Emphasis Program manager, Veterans Emphasis Program Manager and possibly Asian/Pacific Islander Emphasis Program Manager. The team is to disperse the vacancy announcements as they see fit.

Process for New Member

Misty has set up a process for new members joining the civil rights team. The current terms of the members are 3 years and end at the end of the 3rd fiscal year. New members will be selected and join the committee 3 months before the end of the term. This allows for a transition period and official handoff of materials and gives the new member a chance to attend a Civil Rights Committee meeting and possibly an official training prior to fully taking over the position. Misty will outline the new process and send to the team electronically.

Civil Rights Jeopardy

Cory presented her National Civil Rights Review preparation jeopardy game to the Civil Rights Team. The game is played just like the game show jeopardy. Start by splitting into two to three teams. A judge is selected to settle disputes and keep score. The Civil Rights team plans use this as a training tool in the future for Soil and Water Conservation District Boards, etc.

Dave Dishman arrived 10:00 a.m.

Watershed Approach

As suggested by Bob Graham, Tom Makowski, Jeff Goebel, and Jim Regan-Vienop with the watershed planning team stopped by on their way to Klamath Falls to provide the Civil Rights team with an overview of the watershed process and our possible role.

Tom started off by telling us a little bit about the watershed process and how it helps locate limited resource and/or, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and small acreage producers. He mentioned that there are advantages for the groups in receiving federal funding. The watershed approach is also key in determining environmental justice which has civil rights impacts.

Tom presented several examples of publications and tech notes he uses or has been a part of developing. For example, a calendar style publication noting the social factors influencing implementation of programs to LR/BF, socially disadvantaged, as well minority producers.

Tom suggested the Civil Rights Team work with OSU extension and other agencies on who, where, how to reach, and what the needs are for the groups listed above. He suggested marketing through smart outreach programs or information packets for these groups. He also noted that the Oregon Leadership Team, as well as the National Office, is going to have to look strongly at funding and staffing time to work with these groups and on a watershed scale in a whole. Since these people haven’t historically been involved with our programs it takes longer to explain things, contract and plan, get practices implemented, and are often completed on fewer acres with more expense involved.

Farm Bill Update

Meta Loftsgaarden teleconferenced in to the Civil Rights Meeting to give the team an update on the bill as it pertains to the civil rights team.

For EQIP there is a potential for 75% cost share for all producers for certain practices and up to 90% cost share for limed resource, beginning farmer, and socially disadvantaged producers. The bill also includes incentives to foster new farms and ranches for LR/BF, socially disadvantages, and tribes. In Fiscal Year 09-12 there is money directed for CSP and EQIP for administration of programs. 5% for targeting Limited resources/beginning farmers and 5% for socially disadvantage producers. This money has to be spent or it will get redistributed to state that can spend it.

In the CRP program there is possibly an option for retiring operators to transition there CRP ground to LR/BF for sustainable grazing or cropping without any penalties. This option would allow for modification of CRP contract to a LR/BF 1-2 years prior to expiration of contract and allow for development or improvements to be made to the land without any penalties. The LR/BF would also be able to enroll in EQIP, CSP, etc.  Producers can now request receipt of service for anything that occurs in the service center.

It was also noted that the Tribes don’t have to provide office space in order for NRCS to deliver programs on the reservation.

The bill also has money for outreach and technical assistance for socially disadvantaged producers. The money would be used to enhance coordination and outreach education, for example translators or translation of documents. There is $15 million available for FY 09 and $20 million for each FY 10-12.

A national minority farmer advisory committee will be formed.

Title VI and VII of the bill addresses the requirements for reporting complaints, etc. Oregon feels we are doing our part in this process.

Amy Bell left the meeting at 11:30 a.m.

Quarterly Review

Misty brought up that the quarterly reviews are due July 8th. Misty wants the team’s comments and reviews prior to her having to submit nationally by July 1. She will send the report to the team electronically. The team decided that we will send our quarterly reports to Misty as well as our nation SEPM’s on the 1st day of each quarter. Misty will notify the team 1 month prior to start of the quarter. Misty mentioned that there is a new format for the reports and that goal 1 on that report is addressed by the state administrative officer. Goals 2 and 3 apply to the civil rights team. Misty will send out information regarding each goal. Misty also recommended that each SEPM review their plan and update accomplishments as they occur.

New Compliance Review Schedule

Pedro is working with Misty and FSA to complete a new compliance review schedule based on when office leases expire. The new schedule will show dates 12 and 18 months prior to the lease expiration. The compliance review needs to occur within that time period in order for deficiencies in ADA compliance to be negotiated. New leases will not take effect until ADA review is complete and all is correct and in compliance. FSA, RD, and NRCS should complete the ADA review together and all agree on the measurements. Currently all building leases are 5 years with an optional 5 year extension. Pedro is going to follow up with Chris Martin on the timeframe in which reviews needs to be completed versus GSA lease regulations. The team is concerned that while transitioning to this new schedule there may be a few offices that might not be reviewed within the 5 year time period state by policy. Currently the lease expiration spreadsheet is being populated and upon its completion we will be able to see if any offices are fall in that category and make a decision at that time. Pedro and Misty are in charge of completing the spreadsheet as soon as possible as well as work with FSA and RD as to who from those agencies to contact for completing the ADA portion of the reviews. The new schedule will be available on share point once complete.

Training

Misty is still working with the state office to try and coordinate an official training by Sharon Nance on conducting compliance reviews.

Kacee presented the new ADA sticks to assist in completing compliance reviews. The team all seemed excited about utilizing the new tool for this years reviews. We currently have 3 ADA sticks, but the whole team was interested in having one and suggested Misty file and AD 700 requesting them.

Parity

There was some discussion on determining parity for programs. Is parity calculated using white males, or all whites? Pedro will look up policy. Misty will forward instructions on how to correctly calculate parity electronically to the team.

Awards

Misty presented REI backpacks to thank the team for all the work they did in preparation for and during the National Civil Rights Review.

The next meeting is scheduled for:

Teleconference: August 21, 2008 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Adjourn

The meeting was at adjourned at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 14, 2008

 


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