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Purpose:
Guidance for appropriate use of NRCS logo items for outreach and public education events.
Expiration Date:
September 30, 2008
NRCS has a long history of using logo items in our outreach and information programs. This bulletin transmits guidance for the use of logo items in PIA outreach programs.
The General Accountability Office (GAO) has determined that it is improper for government agencies to use appropriated funds to provide personal gifts to people unless there is specific legislative authority to do so. Therefore we are not allowed to distribute logo items in our outreach process unless we provide them under these special circumstances.
The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill), recently passed by the U.S. Congress, provides that we may provide to certain covered persons, incentives to participate in our conservation programs in order to foster new farming and ranching opportunities and to enhance long-term environmental goals. These covered persons, as describe in the 2008 Farm Bill are:
o beginning farmers or ranchers,
o socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers,
o limited resource farmers or ranchers or
o Indian Tribes
So as we conduct our outreach program, we can provide our logo items as incentives to these covered persons, in order to encourage their participation in any of our programs.
In addition, GAO has determined that agencies can distribute logo items to participants in our outreach program as long as the purpose of the item is informational. These items should not have utility outside of this informational purpose. Under this definition, caps, scissors, and paper weights are not allowed. However refrigerator magnets, pencils and pens with the agency mission statement and contact phone numbers were deemed informational only and therefore were allowed.
Pacific Islands Area Bulletin No. PIA-260-08-01
So when conducting outreach at fairs, community gatherings, class presentations, various conferences and other events, we are able to use the NRCS logo items to further the agency's mission if we ensure that our mission statement and a contact number is supplied. If your office is interested in customizing the logo imprint to include the office phone number, please contact the public affairs specialist for assistance.
For more information, contact Jolene Lau, Public Affairs Specialist, PIA at
Jolene.Lau@hi.usda.gov or call (808) 541-2600 ext. 135.
/s/
LAWRENCE T. YAMAMOTO
Director
Pacific Islands Area
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