Explanation.   Priority to attend the annual meeting will be given to employees engaging in one or more of the following activities:

• presenting a paper or poster, or making a presentation
• conducting training
• maintaining credits for professional development units or continuing education credits
• serving as an active member of a technical committee meeting at the annual meeting
• receiving a major award

Certain restrictions are in place, so meeting these criteria does not guarantee approval.

Employees may use the conference for continuing education requirements to maintain a license or certification, but it must be documented in their Individual Development Plan (IDP) in AgLearn. Each administrative office will need to prepare authorizations and cover related costs for their employees attending this conference.

NRCS must submit a single request in CTAT to obtain the necessary approvals for this meeting; therefore, we need to collect information on all attendees, regardless of their location. In order to obtain conference attendance approvals for NRCS employees interested in attending this conference, State conservationists, national center directors, directors of the Pacific Islands and Caribbean areas, regional conservationists, and NHQ division directors are to submit the following information:

• completed and signed composite Form NRCS-FNM-72, “Meeting Attendance Approval” (also attached); summarize the information for all employees in the State, center, or other administrative unit interested in attending this conference; only one form per State, center, or other administrative unit should be submitted.

Submit the NRCS-FNM-72 by March 30, 2021, to the National Agricultural Engineer at Clarence.Prestwich@usda.gov. Please include “ASABE 2021” in the Subject line and indicate whether the employee is a member of ASABE.