public policies to grow GIS technology transfer

federal 

External advisory committee member, House Committee on Agriculture. Precision Farming Section, 1997 Farm Bill. 1996.

Co-author, Congressional Appropriations through USDA to establish and support the National Center for Resource Innovations – a cooperative program to build integrated GIS technologies for primarily rural decision makers, 1990-1999.

State of Virginia 

Chairman, VA Mapping, Surveying and Land Information Commission. 1987-1992. Governor Gerry Baliles' appointee to the Commission on Mapping Surveying and Land Information Systems. Richmond, Virginia. Responsibilities to provide technical support to local governments in GIS, Land Records Management and Land Information Systems modernization.

Chairman, VA GIS Working Group, 1985 - 1988. Virginia Land Information Systems Technology (VA LIST) Group. An organization of fedeeral and state, private and public, conservation, industry, development and academic interests to design an effective approach to provide technical assistance to local governments wanting to modernize their land information systems in Virginia.

Member VA Joint Legislative Study Committee, 1986. Joint House and Senate of Virginia Legislative Study Committee to Examine the Feasibility of Establishing a State Coordinator for Land Information. Virginia General Assembly.  

Co-Author.

• Joint House and Senate Legislation “To Establish a State Coordinator for Land Information Systems for Virginia". Virginia General Assembly. Senate Document No. 17. Enabling Authority 1987. http://leg2.state.va.us/DLS/H&SDocs.NSF/682def7a6a969fbf85256ec100529ebd/48cff
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• Legislation establishing a Study Committee to "Examine the Feasibility of Establishing a State Coordinator for Mapping, Surveying and Land Information Systems in Virginia". Virginia General Assembly. Enabling Authority SJR 80 (1986).

• An amendment to the “State Policy to Protect  Agricultural Lands” to include "Important Farmlands”. Virginia General Assembly. 1982.

• "A State Policy to Protect Agricultural Lands". Virginia General Assembly. 1981  Virginia Code c. 635 § 3.1-18.5. and 10.1-1192. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp524.exe?000+cod+10.1-1188

Local Government and agriculture 

Co-Owner/Operator, Registered Angus Cow/Calf Operation, Berryville, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley, 1971-1986

Chairman. Planning Commission, Clarke County, Virginia (1987-1989).

Co-developer Clarke County Geographical Information System.

With R. Denis White, Jonathan Corson-Rikert and Kelly Chan, Harvard Laboratory For Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis, Boston, MA. Funded in part by the citizens of Clarke County to focus upon agriculture, water quality and environmentally senstive lands protection; agricultural zoning, Agricultural Districts and establishing private conservation easements. 1985-1988.

Member of the Planning Commission, 1980-1990.

Co-author, Clarke County Comprehensive Plans (1988 and 1984). Clarke County Mountain land (Initial Blue Ridge) Plan. Clarke County Groundwater Protection Program (Five ordinances- Septic fields, Underground storage, Sinkholes, Drinking Water); Sliding Scale Zoning; two Agricultural Districts Ordinances. Pilot Project with NRCS/USDA, LESA, Land Evaluation and Site Assessment System, incorporation into public policy to protect Important  Farmlands, 1984.