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USDA - 5140 - Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research	Agency Name	Department of Agriculture
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	5140
Original Establishment Date	8/23/1996	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/n...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	Unlimited
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	2/2/2023	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Greg
Date Of Renewal Charter	2/2/2025	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Zwicke
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority	7USC 5405	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(970) 295-5621
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	7USC 5405; Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act	Designated Federal Officer Email*	greg.zwicke@usda.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	4/4/1996
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Committee was established to ensure intergovernmental cooperation in research activities relating to agricultural air quality. The Committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on his/her role in providing oversight and coordination on agricultural air quality. It meets two to three times a year to discuss agricultural production and air quality in different geographic regions, thereby improving members' understanding of local problems/issues.
How is membership balanced?*	The members represent all NRCS regions within the United States. In addition, members represent the following disciplines: agricultural production, agricultural industry, agricultural air quality research, and the health sciences/regulators/public interest.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Committee meets 2-3 times annually to review scientific research related to agricultural air quality and develop recommendations to address current issues. Subcommittees meet between meetings by teleconference on an as needed basis. In addition to providing recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on research priorities (e.g., particulate matter, odors, and ozone) and associated funding, the Committee has developed recommendations at the request of EPA on agricultural burning, voluntary programs and emission reduction credits. The Committee has also carried out a broad survey on high priority emission factors which is being used in conjunction with recommended research needs and priorities.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	This committee was mandated from the 1996 FAIR Act (Farm Bill), and has been in existence since then, overseen by the USDA-NRCS. The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force advises the Secretary of Agriculture on his/her role in oversight and coordination related to agricultural air quality, ensuring governmental policies issued to address agricultural air pollution problems are scientifically sound and economically feasible. Current policies are being revised based on new or proposed National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter and ozone. In addition, climate change and GHG guidelines, policies and regulations are under development.
Why close or partially close meetings?	The meetings are open to the public and there are no plans to have closed meetings.
Recommendation Remarks	The AAQTF charter expired on February 2, 2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however, USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration, so there was no meeting activity in FY25. The Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality has been beneficial in making recommendations on research and priorities for research in addition to making recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that, relative to air quality, agriculture is regulated based on sound science. It is expected that the charter will be renewed in FY26, with 2-3 meetings anticipated during FY26.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	Yes
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	No new recommendations in FY2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration in February 2025. No meetings were held in FY25.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	A primary focus of this task force is to make sure that sound science is applied to regulatory decisions. When sound science is applied, there is a greater probability that regulations are warranted and appropriate. The end result besides environmental benefits is the benefit that the cost was appropriate and achieved the goal. It is difficult to determine a cost savings for this result.	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	62	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	No new recommendations in FY2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration in February 2025. No meetings were held in FY25.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	40.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	No new recommendations in FY2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration in February 2025. No meetings were held in FY25.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	60.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	No new recommendations in FY2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration in February 2025. No meetings were held in FY25.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	AAQTF members are typically provided feedback on their recommendations during the meeting following their submission of the recommendations.	Narrative Description*	The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force has been created in accordance with Section 391 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996, which directs the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, to establish a task force to address agricultural air quality issues. The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) was established to comply with Congress and consists of leaders in farming, industry, health, and science. In 1996, Congress found that various studies have alleged that agriculture is a source of PM10 emissions and that many of these studies have often been based on erroneous data. Congress also cited ongoing research by the Department of Agriculture and that federal policy, in regard to air pollution, be based on sound scientific findings that are subject to adequate peer review and take into account economic feasibility. The Secretary of Agriculture was charged to ensure that Departmental federal air quality research not report erroneous data. The AAQTF has been administrative inactive since expiration of the charter in April 2017 due to expired charters, membership, or both. No new recommendations in FY2025. Membership was selected in October 2024; however USDA did not conduct a meeting with the current membership prior to charter expiration in February 2025. No meetings were held in FY25.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$4,115.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$130,000.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$60,000.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$15,000.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$15,000.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$0.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$10,000.00
11. Total Costs	$4,115.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$290,100.00
Date Cost Last Modified	9/17/2025 4:38 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.20
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.02	Est Cost Remarks	Membership was selected in October 2024; however, USDA did not conduct a meeting prior to charter expiration in February 2025. The charter is currently being renewed, and it is anticipated that there will be 2-3 meetings during FY26 after charter renewal.
Cost Remarks	No meeting activity in FY25. Minimal Federal Staff Support was provided to organize new membership appointed in October 2024, to prepare and submit the charter renewal package, and to prepare and submit the ACR and agency reporting.

Interest Areas

Category Area Agriculture Agriculture Basic Science Basic Sciences Environment Environmental Issues

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