Subject: INV - Training Policy for the 2018 National Resources Inventory (NRI) Grazing Lands Onsite Data Collection
Expiration Date: May 31, 2018

Purpose

To clarify and change the training policy for the NRI grazing lands onsite data collection.

Background

For more than 10 years, the policy for personnel conducting data collection for NRI grazing lands (formerly just rangeland) onsite required only an annual training prior to data collection. The training consisted of some classroom work combined with a field walk-through of the collections protocols. Most of that training was conducted by the Resource Inventory Division (RID) with the assistance of national trainers from the national technology support centers. Now the training is offered through the National Employee Development Center (NEDC). The policy was documented in the 2007 NRI Rangeland Study Quality Assurance Plan. There has been some question as to why personnel working on the data collection need to be trained every year and who requires the more formal NEDC national training versus similar training conducted locally. The new policy (see attachment) answers these questions.

Explanation

The NRI grazing lands onsite data collection is conducted in every State at scientifically sampled locations selected from the NRI national sample. The collection involves a fairly complex sequence of steps that need to be carried out in a precise manner to ensure data quality and consistency. To prepare data collectors for the work, training is conducted annually for all collectors. More formal training is provided through NEDC. The attached NRI grazing lands onsite training policy clarifies when a collector needs to attend the formal NEDC training versus similar but less formal training conducted locally. It also indicates that training may be waived every other year for collectors who collect this data annually, which can reduce a State’s training and travel costs if its grazing lands onsite collectors do not change from year to year.

Contact

State resource inventory coordinators should refer technical questions to the NRI Review Coordinator, RID, at (906) 523-5653; questions regarding the NRI program should be referred to the NRI National Statistician Patrick Flanagan, RID, at (301)504-2222.  

 /s/

MARY PODOLL
Acting Deputy Chief for Soil Science and Resource Assessment

Attachment

August 14, 2017

FROM: Patrick E. Flanagan, Acting Director, Resource Inventory Division

TO: Distribution

SUBJECT: Change to the Training Policy for the National Resources Inventory (NRI) Grazing Lands Onsite

Background

The Resources Inventory Division has the responsibility for developing and implementing quality assurance plans for the NRI program as indicated in Title 290, General Manual, Part 400, Subpart C, Section 400.20.  The NRI grazing lands onsite data collection is one part of that program.  We have been analyzing its existing quality assurance plan, one portion of which covers requirements for data collection training.  We have concluded that the training requirements require both clarification and some changes.

Discussion

For any data collection, training of data collectors is an integral part of ensuring the quality of the collected data.  In Federal data collections, training “on new protocols, with refresher training on a routine recurring cycle,” is specified in the Office of Management and Budget Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys (Sept. 2006).  The more complex the data collection, the greater the need for recurring training, even if there is little or no change in protocols.

The NRI grazing lands onsite data collection is extremely complicated.  In addition, it is often collected in less-than-ideal conditions.  It is therefore important to not only walk through the numerous steps required in the collection but to also emphasize many of the important details to ensure data consistency.

In order to assess the necessity of annual refresher training, we observed collection both in the field and during formal national training concentrating on data quality.  We further discussed the training with national grazing lands onsite data collectors, national subject matter specialists, trainers, and technical advisors.  Though the intricacies in the collection were very evident, the differences between those who had performed numerous collections versus those who had not was very evident.

Most large data collections employ refresher training to ensure that the data doesn’t end up becoming biased as collectors vary their collection methods.  Given the significant expenditure of funds and resources in this type of collection, we don’t want to take this potential bias lightly.

Training Policy

Therefore, we have altered the training policy to that expressed below.

Every grazing lands onsite data collection must be conducted by an authorized technical leader, accompanied by one or more crew members.  Each of the collectors must be authorized annually before collecting data.  Authorization is based on the combination of training and experience as indicated:

• Crew Members.—A crew member for a grazing lands onsite collection must attend one of the following the same year as the collection:
  • Grazing lands onsite training conducted by the National Employee Development Center (NEDC)
  • Grazing lands onsite training conducted locally by a national grazing lands trainer
  • Grazing lands onsite training conducted by an authorized technical leader

The current year training may be waived if the crew member was also a crew member the previous year and conducted data collections at five or more points.

• Technical Leader.—The technical leader for any grazing lands onsite collection must—
  • Have been previously qualified as a crew member and acted as a crew member for data collections at five or more points, led by an authorized technical leader.
  • Have attended the NEDC grazing lands onsite training for the year conducting collection as a technical leader.

The current year training may be waived if the technical leader was also a technical leader the previous year and acted as technical leader for data collections at five or more points.

• Training Records.—The State resource inventory coordinator or equivalent leader of the State onsite collections must maintain training and collection experience records for all NRI grazing lands onsite collection personnel.  Those training records will be audited periodically by the NRI Program onsite collection national leader and also used annually to plan for the NEDC national training.

These changes can lead to reduced training and travel costs if data collectors change less frequently.

PATRICK E. FLANAGAN

Distribution:

NRCS State Conservationists

NRCS State Resource Inventory Coordinators

V. Lessard, NRCS NRI Grazing Lands Onsite National Leader