Governing legislation
In 1981, the Oregon Legislature established the Soil and Water Conservation Commission under ORS 561.395, to provide for coordination between Oregon's Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the department. Prior to 1981, the commission was an independent agency with agency policy-making authority. When the commission was incorporated into the Department of Agriculture (ODA), its policy-making authority was changed to authority to recommend policy to the director of the department.

Purpose and function
The function of the commission is to advise and develop policy with the department in the administration of its duties. To assist with this advisory role, the chair of the commission, by statute, is also a member of the State Board of Agriculture. The commission also has a major role in overseeing the grant programs to districts, including the technical assistance and administrative assistive funds.

The commission provides assistance and direction to Oregon's 45 conservation districts and coordinates with the department, the Natural Resources Program, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Oregon State University (OSU), the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).

Membership
The commission consists of seven members appointed by the director of ODA. Each member must be a citizen of the state of Oregon and a director of a conservation district board at the time of appointment. Commission members serve staggered four-year terms.

Commission members each represent different regions of the state and often times a specific natural resource expertise. Commission member are not salaried and serve as volunteers. In addition to per diem, they receive reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses as a result of the performance of their official duties.

The commission has non-voting advisory members, who represent various state and federal agencies, and other organizations. Current advisors represent NRCS, the National Association of Conservation Districts, OSU Extension Service, OACD, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and OWEB. The Natural Resources Program provides staff support for the commission.

​

Name	Organization	Address	Phone
Lynn Voight State Executive Director	Farm Service Agency (FSA)	7620 SW Mohawk Tualatin, OR 97062 lynn.voigt@or.usda.gov	503-692-6830
Ron Alvarado State Conservationist	Natural Resources  Conservation Service (NRCS)	1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Suite 900 Portland, OR 97232 ron.alvarado@or.usda.gov	503-414-3200
Bill White Partnership Liaison	Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)	1201 NE Lloyd Blvd Suite 900 Portland, OR 97232 bill.white@or.usda.gov	503-414-3085 ​
​Tom Byler  Executive Director	​Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)	​775 Summer St NE Suite 360 Salem, OR 97301 tom.byler@state.or.us	​503-986-0180
Meta Loftsgaarden Deputy Director	​Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)	775 Summer St NE Suite 360 Salem, OR 97301 meta.loftsgaarden@state.or.us	503-986-0203  ​
Jan Lee  President	Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD)	PO Box 2517 Clackamas, OR 97015 jan.lee@oacd.org	503-545-9420
Karl Morgenstern  President	Oregon Association of Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Councils	PO Box 10148 Eugene, OR 97440 karl.morgenstern@eweb.org	541-341-8552
Jeremy Baker President	Oregon Conservation Employees Association Network (OCEAN)	221 Molalla Ave, Suite 102 Oregon City, OR 97045 jbaker@conservationdistrict.org	503-210-6009
Peter Daugherty  Private Forest Program	Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF)	2600 State St Bldg. D Salem, OR 97301 Peter.Daugherty@state.or.us	503-945-7482
Bill Braunworth  Ag Program Leader	Oregon State University (OSU) - Extension Service	Strand Ag Hall 138D Corvallis, OR 97331 bill.braunworth@oregonstate.edu	541-737-1317

The regular SWCC meetings for 2013 have been tentatively scheduled as follows:        

• February 5-6 in Salem, Oregon
• April 11-12 in Salem, Oregon
• July 30 & 31 in Salem, Oregon
• November in conjunction with the OACD Annual Meeting and Convention. The dates and location to be determined.

For questions and/or suggestions for agenda topics, please contact:
 

2013
February 2013 (179K pdf)

2012
November 2012 (119K pdf)
July 2012 (102K pdf)
April 2012 (147K pdf)
January 2012 (90K pdf)

2011
November 2011 (49K docx)
August 2011 (55K docx)
May 2011 (56K docx)
February 2011 (51K docx)

2010
October 2010 (49K doc)
August 2010 (84K doc)
April 2010 (90K doc)
February 2010 (92K doc)

2009
October 2009 (94K doc)
July 2009 (82K doc)
April 2009 (91K doc)
January 2009 (84K doc)

2008
November 2008 (88K doc)
August 2008 (68K doc)
May 2008 (92K doc)
February 2008 (79K doc)

2007
November 2007 (53K doc)
August 2007 (72.5K doc)
April 2007 (70.5K doc)
February 2007 (61K doc)

2006
November 2006 (102K doc)
August 2006 (74K doc)
May 2006 (73.5K doc)
January 2006 (61K doc)