By Daniel Fowler, NAICC president
USDA-NRCS has recently streamlined the Technical Service Provider (TSP) program by deleting certain AgLearn training modules from the required certification criteria.
The intent of streamlining the TSP certification is not to eliminate all AgLearn training or accept professional certifications as replacement for additional training. Instead, the intent is to eliminate redundancy in training that may already have been achieved through a professional organization certification curriculum and exam requirements.
In response, NAICC developed the Certified Professional Crop Consultant-Nutrient or CPCC-N program that has been approved by NRCS. USDA also determined that the CCA program requirements are acceptable as well.
The TSPs must take the two introductory courses, Field Office Technical Guide (NRCS-NEDC-000149) and TSP Orientation and Conservation Planning (NRCS-NEDC-000191). These were presented at the NAICC meeting in San Antonio, and plans are underway to present them at the upcoming annual meeting in Monterey.
Certified Professional Crop Consultant-Nutrient
In addition to the current requirements for CPCC, anyone who also wants to become a CPCC-N will be able to satisfy the new requirements by completing the following steps:
- Take and pass the 4R certification program.
- Send the completion certificate to the NAICC headquarters.
- Become designated by the NAICC headquarters as a CPCC-N.
- Sign up as a TSP using NAICC certification designations: CPCC-N for nutrient management programs or the CPCC designation for all other programs (i.e., IPM conservation programs).
The NAICC CPCC and CPCC-I program are listed as acceptable requirements for TSP under/over 40.
The CPCC-N program will satisfy the following modules:
- Nutrient Management, Part 1, Track 1 (AgLearn NRCS-NEDC-000083)
- Nitrogen Management and Concerns-No. 2 (AgLearn NRCS-NHQ-000039)
- Phosphorous Management and Concerns-No. 3 (AgLearn NRCS-NHQ-000040)
