The Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (WDA), one of five such Regional Associations, represents the administrators of the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES) in the Western Region in their collective dealings. The WDA, with the other such Regional Associations, is an integral part of the Experiment Station Section. It provides, through its business meetings, a means by which the views of the WDA may be determined formally and transmitted to the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) and the Experiment Station Section on matters either of its own origin or onmatters referred to it by ESCOP or the Section. The WDA also provides a forum for the exchange of information and for discussion and debate among members and guests on matters of common concern that may not require formal action. And, it provides the means by which the WDA may take action that is limited to the Western Region.
There are 18 voting members of the Western Directors Association consisting of the Directors (or duly authorized representatives) of its member institutions (Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Micronesia, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) and the Western Executive Director. Associate and Assistant Directors of the member SAES of the WDA and the Administrative Heads of Agriculture of the member institutions are also members; however, the voting privilege shall be limited to one vote for each institution. The Administrator of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA, and the Vice President for Food and Agriculture of the National Association are ex-officio, non-voting members of the WDA.