The annual meeting of ASA, CSSA, and SSSA is a forum for maintaining and exploring new science and technology transfer applicable to the mission of NRCS. Details for the conference, including hotel and registration information, can be found on the annual meeting web site at https://www.acsmeetings.org/. This year the conference is also offering a limited virtual program that includes certain recorded presentations including the keynote.

The 2022 ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meeting with the theme, “Communication and Public Engagement for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet”, offers important symposia, forums, and workshops for professionals engaged in environmentally related sciences. The focus this year will be on the new tools, data and innovations that allow scientists to communicate with each other and broad new audiences. This conference is currently planned to be in-person.

To attend the annual ASA-CSSA-SSSA meeting, the employee must be engaging in one or more of the following activities:

·     Presenting a paper or poster, or making a presentation

·     Conducting a 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 travel restrictions are in place, so meeting these criteria does not guarantee travel approval. Employees must document continuing education in their individual development plan in AgLearn. Current guidance for conferences from the FPAC Mission Area is that any attendance of 20 or more staff members requires approval at the Undersecretary level and any attendance of 50 or more requires approval by the Office of the Secretary due to changing levels of Covid community spread. Attendance could be further limited due to concerns of spreading coronavirus contingent on the National outlook near the time of the event.

Return Attachment A, “2022 Tri Societies Attendee Cost Spreadsheet.” labeled with the State, regional center or NHQ Deputy Area to John Andreoni at john.andreoni@usda.gov with “[ASA-CSSA-SSSA]” in the subject line by close of business on Friday, September 23, 2022.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact John Andreoni, Management Analyst, SPSD at (720) 544-2841 or by email to john.andreoni@usda.gov.