All 15 committee seats are open for nominations on the Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Advisory Committee.

The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State released notice of vacancies for the committee June 15.

All current members’ terms expire June 30.

Committee members are asked to provide comments and recommendations in an advisory capacity to the state’s ag commissioner on how to improve water quality through the MAWQCP.

MAWQCP is a voluntary conservation program for farmers that is designed to help protect water quality. Farmers who become certified receive regulatory certainty for a period of 10 years, meaning that they are deemed in compliance with any new water quality rules or laws during the period of certification.

Applications for committee members are encouraged from the following groups: farmers or ranchers; farm organizations; commodity or livestock organizations; agriculture-related businesses; consumer packaged goods businesses; crop consultants or advisers; environmental organizations; conservation organizations; local government representatives; agricultural, environmental and water quality researchers and policy experts; and local and sustainable food systems.

The following organizations are invited to attend meetings to provide technical support to the committee: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources, The Minnesota office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and University of Minnesota Extension.

Members of the committee should, but are not required to, have relevant experience and expertise in agriculture, conservation or water quality management. Members will be selected by the ag commissioner following the open appointment process.

Applications should include a brief cover letter, résumé or other information that will outline or discuss the applicant’s background and qualifications.

Applications may be submitted online and must be submitted within 21 days of the published date to be assured of full consideration by the appointing authority. An appointing authority may choose to review applications received by the secretary of state after the 21-day application period.

To apply online, visit the “open positions” page at commissionsandappointments.sos.state.mn.us/Position. Scroll down to “Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Advisory Committee” and click on it. Click the button that says “apply.” Follow the prompts to create an application profile.

On Page 2 of the application, you will attach your letter of interest and resume or biography.

Applications may be submitted by email to: [email protected]. Paper applications may be submitted by mail or in person to: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, 180 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1299.

Questions? Contact Danielle Isaacson, 625 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55155; or at [email protected]; or at 651-201-6283.

To learn more about the MAWQCP, visit mda.state.mn.us/awqcp, or contact program manager Brad Redlin at 651-201-6489 or [email protected].