| NWA Report |
| NWA Exec Larry Olsen 2011 Fall SDASCOE Board Meeting Brookings, SD October 13-14, 2011 |
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| SDASCOE |
Busy times for NASCOE. VERA, VISP, Tier one Tier Two Tier Three County Office designation descriptions/no
descriptions, State possible consolidation/closure plans, benefit erosion, 12 member super committee
recommendations, and the New Farm Bill.
Report of the NASCOE Fall Board Mtg. in Boise, ID September 24-27, 2011.
I am full of firsts. I became the NWA Exec on September 1, 2011. Had my first NASCOE conference call with the
Exec Board. Had my first official visit to the North Dakota NDASCOE State Convention, submitted my first article
to the NASCOE Now, my first NWA Exec report, and now I have attended my first NASCOE Fall Board
Organizational Mtg. in Boise, ID. Not bad for the first month.
The make-up of the NASCOE Executive Board consists of the NASCOE Officers President John Lohr, Vice
President Mark Van Hoose, Past President Myron Stroup, Secretary Annette Hyman, and Treasurer Shelly
Odenkirk.
The rest of the Board consists of the 5 Area Execs Charlene Neukomm from the Midwest Area, Dale Fowers
from the Southwest Area, Dan Smeal from the Northeast Area, Wes Daniels from the Southeast Area, and me
Larry Olsen from the Northwest Area. All of the Area Execs are new with the exception of Charlene.
The reason for holding the NASCOE organizational mtg. in Boise was to finalize and approve plans for the 2012
NASCOE Convention to be held August 7th -12, 2012 and to organize and conduct the normal business of the
organization.
The IDASCOE association and especially the IDASCOE Convention Committee and Committee Co-chairs have
been working very hard to make the convention and associated activities as memorable and just plain old fun as
they possibly can!
Each of the NASCOE Committee Chairs submitted their reports and estimated budgets for the 2012 year to the
Executive Board for approval.
One of the items discussed at the organizational mtg. after the normal business was the concerns and goals of
each of the members of the Exec Committee that represented the concerns and goals of the NASCOE
membership.
Not surprising was most of the concerns and goals of the NWA are pretty much the same as every other Areas.
Concerns sent to me from the NWA would include;
Goals of the NWA would include;
These are the concerns/goals of the NWA. Order is not priority. Basically they are all priority.
Many of the same concerns/goals were expressed by the other Areas.
NASCOE consultant Robert Redding gave the Exec Board an update of activity toward the new farm bill. Basically
everything at this time is in the hands of the 12 member Congressional Committee. Large reductions in base
line budget are anticipated for the commodity titles. Basically nothing will be happening with progress of the farm
bill until the 12 member Committee puts in their recommendations. The NASCOE Legislative Committee will be
working on contacting members of the Committee through their respective State NASCOE members. The Area
Legislative Chairs will contact the respective State Presidents and State Legislative Chairs where the 12
Member Committee are from.
Many of the Commodity groups have weighed in on direct payments. General consensus of the Commodity
groups are direct payments are increasing hard to justify and most of them are advocating use of the direct
payment money be used to improve revenue crop insurance coverage.
The House and Senate Ag Committees are basically in waiting mode until the Debt Committee makes their
recommendations. The Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committees vary on their respective views of
budget cuts. Bottom line is not if there will be cuts in the coming farm bill, but how much of a cut and where the
limited funds should be allocated. Crop Insurance have been busy working commodity and farm groups to push
for use of limited ag funds to bolster and improve crop insurance.
The Executive Committee has tentatively scheduled a final 2011 negotiations meeting with Management. Dates
are tentative at this time. November 14-17, 2011 in WDC. Executive Board, Committee Chairs, and the 2011 (last
years) Negotiators will attend and finalize negotiation items with Management.
NASCOE President John Lohr and Vice-President Mark Van Hoose will be meeting with Administrator Bruce
Nelson and other Agency and Department personnel October 11-12, 2011.
There will be a 2012 NASCOE Legislative Conference. Date has not yet been determined by the NASCOE
Legislative Committee.
The Executive Board heard and approved the 2013 NASCOE Convention offer from North Carolina NCASCOE
Association. Special Thanks to the NC folks for making the offer.
"Trevor Gartner" tgartner@jminsuredirect.com From JM Marketing spoke to the NASCOE group. Trevor
stated that “we'll be sure to stay in touch as we work through the ideas being considered for expanding benefits”.
Below is a quick rundown on what we are working on your behalf for an expanded benefits offering to NASCOE
members as discussed in Boise:
Pet Insurance – I sent Phil Morton (NASCOE Benefits Chair, and NWA Alternate Exec) an email highlighting the
coverage available for this product category. We will review and discuss whether this makes sense to move
forward.
Wellness Benefit Program – waiting from the carrier to see about having a “free look” for a month into the
program and then letting Phil and the other board members give it a run through to see interest and thoughts on
whether to make it available for members.
Home & Auto Discount Program – Meeting with another company next week to discuss the opportunity and see
some example savings available under their plan, discuss enrollment/marketing capabilities, state issues, etc.
Will have some options to review soon.
PAC growth partnership – Working with Charla, SEA Legislative Chair (NASCOE PAC Coordinator) to see about
adding an option on benefit enrollment forms for the insured/member to contribute an additional amount to PAC.
(I.e. check box if you would like to contribute $___ to the NASCOE pack. Also looking at the ability to have non
NASCOE members contribute.
Retirement Planning Resources – Continually adding additional information, calculators, and financial services
above and beyond the complimentary federal benefits analysis currently being utilized by members. These
resources will be added to Nascoebenefits.com in the near future.
Trevor will keep us posted on more items as they come up, however please don’t hesitate to contact him if there
is anything he can help you with or if he has forgetting anything.
The business portion of the Executive Board meeting will be posted in the Secretaries minutes.
To sum up the 2011 NASCOE Organizational meeting I will say that NASCOE has a lot on its plate for the
upcoming year. Farm Bill (programs), COC system concerns, Staffing issues, and overall budget issues. We are
very fortunate to have the willingness, drive, and tremendous talent of so many Members of NASCOE who are
serving as Officers, Chairs, and other appointed groups. My thanks to these individuals.
NASCOE President John Lohr and Vice President Mark Van Hoose are in WDC October 10th. John and Mark
have appointments in WDC on October 11 with Bruce Nelson, FSA Administrator, Mike Wooden, DAFO, and Juan
Garcia, DAFP. Some of the issues to discuss with management during this meeting will be;
Budget constraints limiting COC meetings. Bottom line these meeting are essential to doing business on the
county level in FSA.
COC being funded with Program Funds as supported by statute, this would eliminate budget concerns with the
COC.
If we could have an election of a county wide Minority Advisor with full voting rights and authorities, making this
position a full COC member, we could make a tremendous start with the Cultural Transformation of the COC
system. This was suggested to the Sec. by NAFEC at their April mtg. with the Sec.
If we could return office space leasing to the CED’s or COC’s, FSA could save an amazing amount of money.
This would streamline a process that is currently not working. Who better knows local markets and the people
that handle these type spaces in rural America than CED’s or COC’s. We are currently providing all the
necessary information to MSD and based on the same guidelines could make the decisions and speed up the
process while saving expenses.
Can the department or management tell us exactly what they envision the COC and the COC system to look like
in the future and what has to happen for them to be able to continue to have supervision authority of CEDs and
program administration authority?
Do they have a right sizing plan for after the staff reductions of the VERA/VISP, if so what is it?
Definitions of Tier 1 (defined as a 2 person office within 20 miles of another 2 person office and no FLP
presence, 78 nationwide fall under this), Tier 2, and Tier 3 County Office designation and what is the plan for
these identified County Offices?
Shared management?
Reductions at the STO, KCMO, and National level? County Office level is taken a disproportionate level of
personnel cuts.
Delay in 2012 program signup.
They are also trying to schedule a meeting with Karis Gutter, Ag Sec Advisor and maybe Heidi Ware or Phil Short
from the Agency.
After they arrive on Monday the 10th, they have scheduled a meeting with Bob Redding, NASCOE Consultant to
discuss activity of the 12 member (what Bob has learned regarding possible suggested cuts to Ag) and
progress with Ag Committees on the Farm Bill. John and Mark have a separate meeting with David Senter,
NAFEC Consultant regarding COC issues, which are reduced mtg times, where they are with the issue of COC
being paid out of Program Funds as the statute states in the Farm Bill and has repeatedly.
NASOCE is trying to be as proactive as we can. Concerns about responsibility of acreage reporting
FSA/MPCI/NASS.
Respectively Submitted,
Larry Olsen, NWA Exec
descriptions, State possible consolidation/closure plans, benefit erosion, 12 member super committee
recommendations, and the New Farm Bill.
Report of the NASCOE Fall Board Mtg. in Boise, ID September 24-27, 2011.
I am full of firsts. I became the NWA Exec on September 1, 2011. Had my first NASCOE conference call with the
Exec Board. Had my first official visit to the North Dakota NDASCOE State Convention, submitted my first article
to the NASCOE Now, my first NWA Exec report, and now I have attended my first NASCOE Fall Board
Organizational Mtg. in Boise, ID. Not bad for the first month.
The make-up of the NASCOE Executive Board consists of the NASCOE Officers President John Lohr, Vice
President Mark Van Hoose, Past President Myron Stroup, Secretary Annette Hyman, and Treasurer Shelly
Odenkirk.
The rest of the Board consists of the 5 Area Execs Charlene Neukomm from the Midwest Area, Dale Fowers
from the Southwest Area, Dan Smeal from the Northeast Area, Wes Daniels from the Southeast Area, and me
Larry Olsen from the Northwest Area. All of the Area Execs are new with the exception of Charlene.
The reason for holding the NASCOE organizational mtg. in Boise was to finalize and approve plans for the 2012
NASCOE Convention to be held August 7th -12, 2012 and to organize and conduct the normal business of the
organization.
The IDASCOE association and especially the IDASCOE Convention Committee and Committee Co-chairs have
been working very hard to make the convention and associated activities as memorable and just plain old fun as
they possibly can!
Each of the NASCOE Committee Chairs submitted their reports and estimated budgets for the 2012 year to the
Executive Board for approval.
One of the items discussed at the organizational mtg. after the normal business was the concerns and goals of
each of the members of the Exec Committee that represented the concerns and goals of the NASCOE
membership.
Not surprising was most of the concerns and goals of the NWA are pretty much the same as every other Areas.
Concerns sent to me from the NWA would include;
- JOBS #1, concern and uncertainty
- Waiting to hear about possible VISP and how it will effect staffing and status of some of the County
Offices (consolidation, closure, shared management, possible right sizing). - Concerns about the COC system, 16 AO Amend 5, budget limited COC mtgs., Jackson /Lewis report
recommendation that COC be appointed by the SED. - The uncertainty of what will be happening with the new farm bill
- Possible loss of responsibility of acreage reporting
- Program training or the lack there of and inadequate equipment for training
- PT upgrades or activity toward it
- Concern over how program staffing is determined. Example: FLP GS personnel doing FSFL. This is an
FP program. How is staffing for the program then distributed to GS and CO? - Why are GS employees doing FP work not converted to CO positions?
- Concerns with NRCS maintaining satellite offices. With FSA considering more shared management it
seems counterproductive. If there is not a full Service Center in the location, should there be any Agency
presence. The general public does not always understand. They only see us as USDA. - With the amount of time that must be spent on GIS, it should be considered a program of its own.
- The multiple directions individual States are taking regarding the lack of workload numbers to determine
County Office Staffing levels (Nebraska plan adopted by several states and each State coming up with
their own co-efficient).
Goals of the NWA would include;
- Getting responsibility of acreage reporting (FSA, RMA, and NASS).
- Reestablishing/restore COC authority
- PT upgrades
- Increase participation in the PAC
- Increase membership in NASCOE
- Maintain (increasing would be unrealistic right now) benefits for the membership
- Increasing membership in NAFEC
- Making GIS a program
These are the concerns/goals of the NWA. Order is not priority. Basically they are all priority.
Many of the same concerns/goals were expressed by the other Areas.
NASCOE consultant Robert Redding gave the Exec Board an update of activity toward the new farm bill. Basically
everything at this time is in the hands of the 12 member Congressional Committee. Large reductions in base
line budget are anticipated for the commodity titles. Basically nothing will be happening with progress of the farm
bill until the 12 member Committee puts in their recommendations. The NASCOE Legislative Committee will be
working on contacting members of the Committee through their respective State NASCOE members. The Area
Legislative Chairs will contact the respective State Presidents and State Legislative Chairs where the 12
Member Committee are from.
Many of the Commodity groups have weighed in on direct payments. General consensus of the Commodity
groups are direct payments are increasing hard to justify and most of them are advocating use of the direct
payment money be used to improve revenue crop insurance coverage.
The House and Senate Ag Committees are basically in waiting mode until the Debt Committee makes their
recommendations. The Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committees vary on their respective views of
budget cuts. Bottom line is not if there will be cuts in the coming farm bill, but how much of a cut and where the
limited funds should be allocated. Crop Insurance have been busy working commodity and farm groups to push
for use of limited ag funds to bolster and improve crop insurance.
The Executive Committee has tentatively scheduled a final 2011 negotiations meeting with Management. Dates
are tentative at this time. November 14-17, 2011 in WDC. Executive Board, Committee Chairs, and the 2011 (last
years) Negotiators will attend and finalize negotiation items with Management.
NASCOE President John Lohr and Vice-President Mark Van Hoose will be meeting with Administrator Bruce
Nelson and other Agency and Department personnel October 11-12, 2011.
There will be a 2012 NASCOE Legislative Conference. Date has not yet been determined by the NASCOE
Legislative Committee.
The Executive Board heard and approved the 2013 NASCOE Convention offer from North Carolina NCASCOE
Association. Special Thanks to the NC folks for making the offer.
"Trevor Gartner" tgartner@jminsuredirect.com From JM Marketing spoke to the NASCOE group. Trevor
stated that “we'll be sure to stay in touch as we work through the ideas being considered for expanding benefits”.
Below is a quick rundown on what we are working on your behalf for an expanded benefits offering to NASCOE
members as discussed in Boise:
Pet Insurance – I sent Phil Morton (NASCOE Benefits Chair, and NWA Alternate Exec) an email highlighting the
coverage available for this product category. We will review and discuss whether this makes sense to move
forward.
Wellness Benefit Program – waiting from the carrier to see about having a “free look” for a month into the
program and then letting Phil and the other board members give it a run through to see interest and thoughts on
whether to make it available for members.
Home & Auto Discount Program – Meeting with another company next week to discuss the opportunity and see
some example savings available under their plan, discuss enrollment/marketing capabilities, state issues, etc.
Will have some options to review soon.
PAC growth partnership – Working with Charla, SEA Legislative Chair (NASCOE PAC Coordinator) to see about
adding an option on benefit enrollment forms for the insured/member to contribute an additional amount to PAC.
(I.e. check box if you would like to contribute $___ to the NASCOE pack. Also looking at the ability to have non
NASCOE members contribute.
Retirement Planning Resources – Continually adding additional information, calculators, and financial services
above and beyond the complimentary federal benefits analysis currently being utilized by members. These
resources will be added to Nascoebenefits.com in the near future.
Trevor will keep us posted on more items as they come up, however please don’t hesitate to contact him if there
is anything he can help you with or if he has forgetting anything.
The business portion of the Executive Board meeting will be posted in the Secretaries minutes.
To sum up the 2011 NASCOE Organizational meeting I will say that NASCOE has a lot on its plate for the
upcoming year. Farm Bill (programs), COC system concerns, Staffing issues, and overall budget issues. We are
very fortunate to have the willingness, drive, and tremendous talent of so many Members of NASCOE who are
serving as Officers, Chairs, and other appointed groups. My thanks to these individuals.
NASCOE President John Lohr and Vice President Mark Van Hoose are in WDC October 10th. John and Mark
have appointments in WDC on October 11 with Bruce Nelson, FSA Administrator, Mike Wooden, DAFO, and Juan
Garcia, DAFP. Some of the issues to discuss with management during this meeting will be;
Budget constraints limiting COC meetings. Bottom line these meeting are essential to doing business on the
county level in FSA.
COC being funded with Program Funds as supported by statute, this would eliminate budget concerns with the
COC.
If we could have an election of a county wide Minority Advisor with full voting rights and authorities, making this
position a full COC member, we could make a tremendous start with the Cultural Transformation of the COC
system. This was suggested to the Sec. by NAFEC at their April mtg. with the Sec.
If we could return office space leasing to the CED’s or COC’s, FSA could save an amazing amount of money.
This would streamline a process that is currently not working. Who better knows local markets and the people
that handle these type spaces in rural America than CED’s or COC’s. We are currently providing all the
necessary information to MSD and based on the same guidelines could make the decisions and speed up the
process while saving expenses.
Can the department or management tell us exactly what they envision the COC and the COC system to look like
in the future and what has to happen for them to be able to continue to have supervision authority of CEDs and
program administration authority?
Do they have a right sizing plan for after the staff reductions of the VERA/VISP, if so what is it?
Definitions of Tier 1 (defined as a 2 person office within 20 miles of another 2 person office and no FLP
presence, 78 nationwide fall under this), Tier 2, and Tier 3 County Office designation and what is the plan for
these identified County Offices?
Shared management?
Reductions at the STO, KCMO, and National level? County Office level is taken a disproportionate level of
personnel cuts.
Delay in 2012 program signup.
They are also trying to schedule a meeting with Karis Gutter, Ag Sec Advisor and maybe Heidi Ware or Phil Short
from the Agency.
After they arrive on Monday the 10th, they have scheduled a meeting with Bob Redding, NASCOE Consultant to
discuss activity of the 12 member (what Bob has learned regarding possible suggested cuts to Ag) and
progress with Ag Committees on the Farm Bill. John and Mark have a separate meeting with David Senter,
NAFEC Consultant regarding COC issues, which are reduced mtg times, where they are with the issue of COC
being paid out of Program Funds as the statute states in the Farm Bill and has repeatedly.
NASOCE is trying to be as proactive as we can. Concerns about responsibility of acreage reporting
FSA/MPCI/NASS.
Respectively Submitted,
Larry Olsen, NWA Exec