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USDA Secretary Mike Johanns on June 16 announced that Farm Bill Forums would be held across the country throughout 2005 to solicit public input for the 2007 renewal of the Farm Bill and presented six specific questions to motivate the debate. The current 2002 Farm Bill, which authorizes many of the programs operated by the USDA, will expire with the 2007 crop year.
The public will be invited to attend the forums and to present oral comments. Six topics identified to provide a framework for the forums are:
- How should farm policy be designed to maximize U.S. competitiveness and our country's ability to effectively compete in global markets?
- How should farm policy address any unintended consequences and ensure that such consequences do not discourage new farmers and the next generation of farmers from entering production agriculture?
- How should farm policy be designed to effectively and fairly distribute assistance to producers?
- How can farm policy best achieve conservation and environmental goals?
- How can Federal rural and farm programs provide effective assistance in rural areas?
- How should agricultural product development, marketing and research-related issues be addressed in the next farm bill?
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Comments may also be submitted electronically via the USDA website (click here) or email to FarmBill@usda.gov. They also can be mailed to Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, Farm Bill, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3355. USDA will review the public comments received by December 30, 2005, including any analyses, reports, studies and other material submitted with the comments, which address the six questions.
The first Farm Bill Forum will be held in Nashville, Tenn. on July 7 from 6:00 to 10:00 pm CDT at RFD-TV Northstar Studios. The forum also will accept calls from across the nation. The dates, locations and times of the forums will be announced as they are scheduled and be available on the USDA website (click here)
For more information please click on USDA Farm Bill Forums
If
you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst
Chil-Sook Hwang by e-mail: chwang@nationalgrange.org
by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Are
you a Grange member who is interested in discussing public policy issues with
other Grange members? CLICK HERE
Thank
you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.
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