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National Plant Board is a non-profit organization of the plant pest regulatory agencies of each of the states and Commonwealth of Pu erto Rico and the Territory of Guam.

Membership of the National Plant Board is made up of the State plant regulatory officials of each member State, Commonwealth and Territory. This person is usually the administrator of the section of his or her state's Department of Agriculture which deals with pest prevention. Such units usually carry titles such as Plant Industry, Plant Health, State Entomologist, State Plant Pathologist, etc. In some states the function is in an agency other than the department of agriculture.

The State Agriculture Technology Officers (SATO) group was formed at the beginning of this year and had its first meeting on February 24, 2017. The primary driver for this group coming together is to increase collaboration among state IT leaders in agriculture.

We have similar challenges and problems and there is no reason we can’t share solutions! When situations arise that affect some, or all of the states, we tend to address them in isolation. So we are solving those problems alone as opposed to attacking them as a consortium. This scenario tends to favor vendors in our industry in that they can financially benefit from solving the same problem, over-and-over again! While we are fortunate to have many good vendors in IT, there are also questionable ones and you may never know that unless we are sharing information better than we do today. WE want to change that!

Here’s what we’re going to do about this current “lack of sharing.” SATO, which invites every state to participate, is building a platform for collaboration. So far, we have had two sessions online where a topic of interest is raised and one state will take the lead to share experiences, solutions, best practices, etc. It’s not as much presentations, but dialogue! The group is also identifying an initiative to take on as a group to see if we can find a solution that works for multiple states and then share it. Currently there are two initiatives under consideration; the FSMA – Farm inventory (FDA requirement) and Online licensing and permitting. The ultimate benefit will be if we can successfully implement a solution, developed by multiple states, for many states!

We are already finding great success in a short time and would like to get full participation from each state. In some cases we have missed CIO’s and will hope to reach you through this channel.

The initial board members are:

Rich Medina (Colorado) – Chairperson

Mary Winkley (California) – Vice Chair

Umesh Sanjanwala (Mississippi) – Secretary

Thus far we have participation from over half the states; we’d like to increase that. We have found that in a short time we have experienced much benefit from just being able to connect CIO’s going through similar challenges. We are reaching out to the IT leaders at every state department of Agriculture to join the SATO group. Please share this information with your IT staff and encourage them to participate.

You can contact Rich Medina at Rich.Medina@state.co.us for any questions, and to join the group.

The North American Agricultural Marketing Officials (NAAMO) is an international organization of the State and Provincial government agricultural marketing officials who provide both domestic and international marketing services to the agricultural and food industries in their states and provinces. Each member state or province reflects its own diversity, but all members share common interests of market development, market information and communication and in market organization and cooperation. The 2018 Annual NAAMO Meeting is to be held July 22-25 2018 in Calgary, Alberta.

NERO's mission:
"To Regulate And Support The Egg Industry In A Manner That Encourages Uniformity While Promoting Food Safety And Quality Assurance."

NERO's Vision:
"A diverse partnership for uniform solutions".

The National Conference on Weights and Measures is a professional association of state and local weights and measures officials, federal agencies, manufacturers, retailers and consumers. NCWM has developed national weights and measures standards since 1905. Those standards are published in NIST Handbooks 44, 130 and 133 and are adopted by the states, territories, District of Columbia and Navajo Nation, bringing about national uniformity in commerce.  NCWM also administers the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) for weighing and measuring devices and the Professional Certification Program for weights and measure officials.

The National Association of State Meat and Food Inspection Directors (NASMFID) is an organization of directors, assistant directors, and professional employees of state meat and poultry inspection programs. The organization currently has members representing 28 states.

The objectives of the Association are to:

1. Advance the science and art of meat and food inspection.
2. Foster and effect good communications among the states with respect to meat and food inspection activities.
3. Provide a voice and united front in determining policies which effect State meat and food inspection programs.

The purpose of NASAC is to promote, to encourage, and to assist the development of aquaculture in the United States by enhancing communication among Federal, State, local and tribal governmental agencies; agricultural research and extension institutions; and trade and marketing organizations.

NADRO works diligently to address the concerns of the dairy industry and to make recommendations to relevant federal agencies and national organizations.

NAAFA, the National Association of Agricultural Fair Agencies, is an organization whose members are of agriculture state agencies and fair associations, involved in the administration of fair programs to benefit the fairs, and has dues related to fairs in respective states.

The object and purposes of this organization are:

• to foster and promote agricultural fairs and shows with an educational emphasis.
• to provide information to fairs and shows pertaining to various laws, regulations and policies, on state and federal level that pertain to the fair industry, and devote to improve fairs and procedures at fairs.
• to develop a closer working relationship and line of communication among state agencies and other related organizations in promoting agricultural fairs and shows and seek closer allegiance among the various state and provincial bodies in the U.S. and Canada.  

NAAFA became an organization in 1966, under the leadership of several state agriculture fair administrators.   

NAAFA publishes a quarterly newsletter, and holds an annual conference in the spring.  Membership is open to government agency fair program coordinators, fair associations, or other agencies providing support to fairs.

The International Association of Milk Control Agencies was founded in 1935 to improve the effectiveness and uniformity of regulation among the economic regulatory agencies and to provide a forum for exchange of information.

The milk industry has never been more complicated, more volatile or more important to the economic vitality of our economies. IAMCA provides a unique forum for understanding and reacting to the ever-changing milk industry.

What is COSDA?

• Communication Officers of State Departments of Agriculture (COSDA) is an affiliate and supporting partner of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) that is composed of the communications officers of each state’s department of agriculture.
• The mission of COSDA is to improve communication between states and relevant federal agencies.
• By crafting and delivering key messages, COSDA promotes the nation’s agriculture industry, consumer protection initiatives and regulatory policies to the public, media, constituents and lawmakers.
• COSDA is a great, low-cost professional network that provides well-rounded insights into common issues facing communication professionals at state departments of agriculture.

COSDA’s Role

To achieve these objectives, COSDA has a variety of connection points for the communications professionals in your department:

• Conference calls with federal partners on issue-specific topics as needed (USDA and FDA),
• Timely e-mails sharing information about media attention to a specific issue, and
• Annual meeting to provide professional development, strengthen interstate relationships and promote agricultural awareness.

Annual Meeting

• The annual COSDA meeting offers an opportunity for members to meet face-to-face to discuss timely issues and receive powerful professional development.
• In recent years, members have received training in homeland security communication, biosecurity issues, social media, message mapping, video production, crisis communications and other job-specific skills.

Resources

• 2021-22 COSDA Board of Directors
• COSDA Members as of September 07, 2021
• COSDA Constitution
• COSDA Bylaws

• Please take a minute to talk to your communications director and staff about the value of being involved in COSDA.
• Full membership is only $100 per year and $50 per year for associate memberships.
• If your communications staff is already active in COSDA, please support their continued involvement through participation in the member conference calls and attendance at the annual meeting.

Memberships run July 1 – June 30 of the following year.

Upcoming & Past Annual Meetings

• 2022 COSDA Annual Meeting
• 2021 COSDA Annual Meeting
• 2020 COSDA Annual Meeting
• 2019 COSDA Annual Meeting

The Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials is a professional association comprised of the structural pest control regulatory officials of any of the fifty states.

AOSA was formed in 1908 in response to initial attempts by individual states to develop seed laws. Initial priorities included, as was defined in the constitution, an attempt to seek uniformity and accuracy in methods, results, and reports. Objectives include efforts to perfect and make publicly known, through publication, uniform rules for seed testing, to establish the AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds which are generally adopted by most states as the rules for testing seeds in their respective states, and to ensure that testing procedures are standardized between analysts and between laboratories.

The purpose of the association is to establish and maintain an Association through which officials of any state, dominion, federal or other governmental agency and employees thereof charged with a responsibility in enforcing the laws regulating the production, labeling, distribution, or sale of animal feeds or livestock remedies may unite to explore the problems encountered in administering such laws, to develop just and equitable standards, definitions and policies to be followed in enforcing such laws, to promote uniformity in such laws, regulations and enforcement policies, and to cooperate with members of the industry producing such products in order to promote the effectiveness and usefulness of such products.

The Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) strives to gain uniformity and consensus amongst the U.S., Puerto Rican, and Canadian fertilizer regulatory programs, while protecting both consumers and the environment. AAPFCO unites member through the promotion of uniform and effective legislation with concise definitions, rulings, and enforcement practices through the development of high standards of fertilizer inspection techniques, and through the promotion of proper labeling and safe use of fertilizers.

The Association of American Seed Control Officials is an organization of seed regulatory officials from the United States and Canada. The Association was organized in 1949, from an outgrowth of regional meetings held in various parts of the United States. The members meet annually to discuss mutual concerns of seed law enforcement, to be updated on new developments in the seed industry, and to update the Recommended Uniform State Seed Law (RUSSL) which the organization developed and maintains as a "model" law for states and federal programs.

The Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) strives to gain uniformity and consensus amongst the U.S., Puerto Rican, and Canadian fertilizer regulatory programs, while protecting both consumers and the environment. AAPFCO unites member through the promotion of uniform and effective legislation with concise definitions, rulings, and enforcement practices through the development of high standards of fertilizer inspection techniques, and through the promotion of proper labeling and safe use of fertilizers.

AAPCO's mission is to represent State Pesticide Control Officials in the development, implementation, and communication of sound public policies and programs related to the sale, application, transport, and disposal of pesticides.

AFDO is an international, non-profit organization that is in the forefront of streamlining and simplifying regulations by either drafting regulatory rules or by commenting on government proposals. By developing a broad base of support for new approaches, AFDO has become a recognized voice in determining the rules and shape of the regulatory playing field of the future.

AFVISA promotes a close understanding between the states' Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Inspection and Standardization Agencies and the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service and related agencies regarding the inspection and standardization of fresh products. AFVISA’s second objective is to provide a forum where member agencies' personnel can formulate and promote policies for maintaining and implementing effective Fresh Fruit and Vegetable and Standardization Services.

We aspire to sustain and augment the network of association states, provinces and affiliates crafted by the foresight of our founders, to share information, ideas and camaraderie in support of our members and of our partners in agriculture.