CAST depends on scientists, researchers, and professionals who contribute their expertise to publications, programs, and governance. This hub covers every volunteer role at CAST — what you do, what CAST does for you, the policies that apply, and who to contact.
Volunteer Hub
Workgroups are the scientific foundation of CAST. They identify emerging issues, develop publication concepts, recruit subject matter experts, and advise CAST leadership. Membership is how organizational members shape what CAST produces.
CAST workgroups include two categories of members, each with distinct roles and voting privileges. There are three CAST workgroups: Animal Agriculture and Environmental Issues; Food Science and Safety; and Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues.
Appointed by CAST organizational members to serve as the primary liaison between their organization and CAST. Eligible to vote, serve as Co-Chair and Chair, and subsequently join the Board of Directors. Generally encouraged to serve three-year terms.
Former Board of Directors members who remain active after their Board service. Bring expertise and mentorship; do not represent any organization. Their votes may not exceed 33% of total votes counted in any workgroup decision.
Workgroup members are expected to actively participate:
Active membership status: Members who miss four consecutive meetings without notifying CAST staff may be designated inactive — making them ineligible to vote and not counted toward quorum. If you have a recurring scheduling conflict, notify CAST staff. You can remain active by engaging through meeting materials and correspondence.
Workgroups meet monthly throughout the year. CAST staff distribute agenda materials before meetings and summaries after. All workgroup members are encouraged to attend the CAST Annual Meeting, held each fall — the business meeting serves as the official workgroup meeting for that month and generally includes a virtual participation option.
Workgroup members are the first step in CAST's publication pipeline.
See the Task Force page for what happens after a Task Force is assembled.
A quorum is a simple majority of active workgroup members. Members who abstain count toward quorum but not vote totals. No official action may be taken without quorum. If quorum is not met during a meeting, CAST staff distribute a virtual vote by email — open until quorum is achieved, with weekly reminders.
Legacy Member cap: Legacy Member votes may not exceed 33% of the final vote count in any decision, including leadership elections. If exceeded, sufficient Legacy Member votes are removed from consideration.
In a tie, all Legacy Member votes are removed and the vote recalculated using only Representative Member votes. If the tie remains, the matter returns for further discussion and a subsequent vote.
Following discussion, a workgroup may vote to: recommend the proposal for Board review; recommend it contingent on specified revisions; return it with requested revisions for resubmission; or decline to recommend it.
Each workgroup has a Chair and a Co-Chair. The Co-Chair serves one year, then transitions directly into the Chair role. Only Representative Members are eligible.
Leads monthly meetings, coordinates with CAST staff, stays current on all workgroup and CAST activity. Serves one year, immediately after their Co-Chair term.
Plans meeting agendas with CAST staff, tracks publication information in CAST's project management system. Serves one year before transitioning to Chair.
Nominations open in November. Elections are held in December. New terms begin in January. Any active member may nominate an eligible Representative Member or self-nominate. Members absent during the nomination meeting have one week after the meeting recap to submit a self-nomination to CAST staff and the incoming Chair.
Members may serve a maximum of 3 full Co-Chair/Chair cycles. Exceptions may be granted if no eligible and willing candidates are found.
If the Chair resigns, the Co-Chair immediately assumes the Chair role and a new nomination/election cycle is held for Co-Chair. If the Co-Chair resigns, a nomination/election cycle occurs immediately. If both resign simultaneously, a full election is held and the requirement to serve as Co-Chair before Chair is waived for that cycle.
CAST needs the following from every workgroup member at the start of your involvement:
Your profile is used for your workgroup listing, CAST communications, and any publication or event materials you contribute to. Submit to CAST staff at onboarding — not when content is already due.
Representative Members are appointed by CAST organizational members and serve as their organization's liaison to CAST. Legacy Members are former Board members who stay engaged after their Board service — they bring experience and mentorship but do not represent any organization. Legacy Member votes are capped at 33% of total votes in any decision.
Contact CAST staff — in some cases participation across workgroups is possible depending on your organization's membership and your availability.
Missing four consecutive meetings without notifying CAST staff may result in being designated inactive. Inactive members cannot vote and do not count toward quorum. If you have a known recurring conflict, notify CAST staff — you can remain active by staying engaged through materials and correspondence.
Representative Members are generally encouraged to serve three-year terms, but there is no fixed term requirement as long as both the member and their organization wish to continue and the member remains actively engaged.
Attendance is strongly encouraged — the Annual Meeting business session serves as the official workgroup meeting for that month — but it is not mandatory. A virtual participation option is generally available.
A simple majority of active workgroup members. Members who abstain count toward quorum but not vote totals. Members who have not completed onboarding or who missed four consecutive meetings without communication are inactive and do not count toward quorum.
If quorum is not reached during the meeting, CAST staff distribute a virtual vote by email to all eligible members. The vote remains open until quorum is achieved, with weekly reminders.
Yes, but their votes are capped at 33% of total votes counted. If Legacy Member votes exceed that threshold, enough are removed to bring the total into compliance.
Proposals can come from workgroup members or external stakeholders, but they must be reviewed and voted on by the relevant workgroup. Contact CAST staff first — they will guide you through the process.
The workgroup can vote to recommend the proposal for Board review, recommend it contingent on specified revisions, return it with requested revisions for resubmission, or decline to recommend it.
You must first serve a full one-year term as Co-Chair. To become Co-Chair, nominate yourself (or be nominated) during the November nomination period. Elections are held in December, with new terms beginning in January. Only Representative Members are eligible.
Yes — a maximum of 3 full Co-Chair/Chair cycles. Exceptions may be granted if no eligible and willing candidates are found after reasonable recruitment efforts.
The Co-Chair immediately assumes the Chair position. A new nomination and election cycle is then held to elect a replacement Co-Chair. The new Chair completes the remainder of the original Chair's term before beginning their own full one-year term.
