Section 161A.4A - State soil conservation and water quality committee1. A state soil conservation and water quality committee is established within the department. The committee exists to provide expert advice and consultation related to technical and financial assistance programs administered by the division and promote the installation of soil and water conservation practices to the citizens of the state of Iowa. a. The members of the committee shall be appointed by the secretary of agriculture and shall include the following: (1) Six of the members shall be persons engaged in actual farming operations, each of whom shall be a resident of one of six different geographic regions in the state, including northwest, southwest, north central, south central, northeast, and southeast Iowa. One member shall be actively engaged in tree farming. The boundaries of the geographic regions shall be established by the department by rule.(2) One member shall be an elected commissioner from a soil and water conservation district.(3) One member shall be a representative of the mining industry.(4) One member shall be a representative of cities and towns.(5) One member shall be a representative of an organization working in conservation or outdoor recreation.(6) One member shall be a representative of agribusiness.(7) One member shall be a representative of an engineering or contracting business engaged in conservation work.b. The following shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the committee: (1) The director of the Iowa cooperative extension service in agriculture and home economics, or the director's designee.(2) The director of the department of natural resources, or the director's designee.(3) The state conservationist for the state of Iowa of the natural resources conservation service.2.a. The committee shall designate its chairperson, and may change the designation. The members appointed by the secretary of agriculture shall serve for a period of two years. Members designated to represent the director of the department of natural resources and the director of the Iowa cooperative extension service in agriculture and home economics shall serve at the pleasure of the officer making the designation.b. Members are entitled to actual expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties as members of the committee. The expenses paid to the committee members shall be paid from moneys appropriated to the department. Each member of the committee may also be eligible to receive compensation as provided in section 7E.6. The committee shall provide for the keeping of a full and accurate record of all proceedings.Added by 2024 Iowa, ch Chapter 1170,s 5, eff. 7/1/2024.