Nevada County’s Agriculture Commissioner Chris de Nijs was appointed to the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack on recommendations for policies and activities for the USDA’s Wildlife Services (WS) program.
“This means rural foothill agricultural producers truly have a voice at the federal level. I look forward to working with the many diverse stakeholders that depend on the Wildlife Services program and providing meaningful input to help them better accomplish their respective work,” explained Chris de Nijs. “As the only person selected from the State of California, this is a huge honor and very humbling.”
de Nijs works tirelessly with agriculture as well as weights and measures in Nevada County. These programs include calibrating weighing devices to mitigate invasive species to issuing pesticide use permits. Most recently, de Nijs’ team was awarded a California State Association of Counties (CSAC) 2022 Challenge Award for their joint work in the Disaster Livestock Access Program, which supports the safe evacuation of livestock from commercial ranch operations during disasters such as wildfires.
“We are proud of Chris’ appointment to this committee and know he will do a wonderful job representing the needs of rural agriculture on behalf of the state of California,” said Community Development Agency Director Trisha Tillotson. “We hope Chris’ work will continue to support the wonderful work Nevada County’s Agriculture Department is already doing and benefit our county and the state.”
National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee nominees are selected to represent program stakeholders, including academia, airport safety, farming, and livestock producers, and state wildlife agencies, among other interest groups. The NWSAC serves as an open forum for diverse interests to have a voice in the policies, guidance, and strategic planning for WS.
Committee members are appointed for a 2-year term and can serve up to three consecutive two-year terms.
To learn more about those named to the Advisory Board, visit: Representatives Named to Advisory Board for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program.
