Preservation, Inc. is launching a two-body advisory process to provide multi-stakeholder input on Third Party Work Plans required by Ag Order 4.0. 

The advisory bodies are a Technical Advisory Committee, or TAC, (consisting of growers and researchers) and a Stakeholder Advisory Committee, or SAC, (consisting of a broad variety of stakeholders involved in the Ag Order).  See diagrams below.  During advisory meetings, stakeholders will provide input on Work Plan concepts and contents such as scope, timelines, deliverables, feasibility; and will review and comment on draft Work Plans authored by Preservation, Inc. staff and contractors.

Advisory meetings will occur, very roughly, every other month depending on the needs of the specific Work Plan(s) in development at any given time.  While in-person participation is preferred, remote attendance options will be available.  All meetings are open to public observation (in-person and Zoom).  Some important upcoming dates include: 

• July 1, 2022 – Surface Water Work Plan (submitted)
• September 28, 2022 – Joint Technical and Stakeholder Advisory Meeting #1 
• November 30, 2022 – TAC Meeting #2 
• December 7, 2022 – SAC Meeting #2 
• January 25, 2023 – TAC Meeting #3 
• January 31, 2023 – SAC Meeting #3
• March 3, 2023 – TAC Meeting #4
• March 10, 2023 – SAC Meeting #4 
• March 28, 2023 – Joint TAC and SAC Meeting (tentative)
• April 15, 2023 – 35% Work Plan for Alternative Compliance Program for Groundwater Protection due 
• September 1, 2023 – Groundwater Trend Monitoring Work Plan due 

(9/28/22) Joint TAC/SAC Meeting, “Kick-off Meeting”

(11/30/22) TAC Meeting #2

(12/07/22) SAC Meeting #2

(01/25/23) TAC Meeting #3

(01/31/23) SAC Meeting #3

(03/03/23) TAC Meeting #4

(03/10/23) SAC Meeting #4

(3/28/23) Joint TAC & SAC #5

The Ag Technical Panel will have 10 producer seats and 3 science seats. The producer seats must be occupied by owners or employees of an agricultural operation. The science seats must be occupied by highly qualified, practicing scientists not associated with a vendor company. This Panel is highly technical in nature and will provide recommendations to the CCWQP Board.

The Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) includes the Ag Technical Panel plus 10 non-agricultural stakeholder seats. These additional seats may be filled by conservationists, softer science practitioners, and/or policy oriented stakeholders. This group will provide input to the Ag Technical Panel.

Each seat can be filled by a Primary and an Alternate representative.  When a Primary seat holder is unavailable to participate, the Alternate may participate fully.  However, only one (Primary or Alternate) can participate in a given meeting, and the other may only listen.  Alternates must meet all eligibility criteria for their seat and must go through the same application and selection process as the Primaries.

Because of the short timeline, the initial review of the Surface Water Work Plan may occur with partial membership. Fully developed membership to be completed by August 1, 2022.