Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources, alongside U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, introduced legislation to address the shortage of Technical Service Providers (TSPs) who help producers access USDA conservation programs through one-on-one assistance. This bill expands on the framework first envisioned in the 2018 Farm Bill. U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Jim Baird (R-Ind.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Specifically, the Increased TSP Access Act would address the TSP shortage by expanding on the framework first envisioned in the 2018 Farm Bill.
• Non-Federal Certifying Entities: The bill directs USDA to establish a process to approve non-Federal certifying entities. The bill ensures that USDA’s process will allow conservation organizations, cooperatives, agricultural retailers, professional societies, and service providers to become certifying entities. It also puts clear deadlines on USDA to ensure that the agency is responsive in administering the program.
• Streamlined Certification: The bill directs USDA to establish a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (including a certified professional in rangeland management and certified crop advisors). This guarantees that applicants with other certifications aren’t burdened with duplicative training, but are still trained in the competencies needed to serve as a TSP.
• Parity in Compensation: The bill ensures that TSPs—who are often paid using conservation program dollars—are paid the fair market rate for their services.
NRCS Chief Terry Cosby projected in January 2023 the agency will need to hire between 3,000 and 4,000 employees over the next two years to implement USDA conservation programs, however in 2022 USDA was only given the authority to hire 1,500 new employees and the agency retained 500.