OFFICERS APPOINTED FOR 2005-2006 COMMITTEE SERVICE

Representative Jeff Kropf from Oregon, Vice Chair of the NCSL Agriculture & Rural Development Committee for two years, has accepted NCSL President Steve Rauschenberger’s (Illinois Senate) appointment to serve as 2005-2006 Committee Chair. Sam Burr, Legislative Council for the Vermont legislature and a farmer, was appointed Staff Chair by NCSL Staff Chair Susan Clarke Schaar, Clerk of the Senate in Virginia. Representative Ben Ferry (Utah), Representative Mary Flowers (Illinois), Senator Thomas Middleton (Maryland), and Senator Larry Mumper (Ohio) have agreed to serve as Vice Chairs. Jim Fry (South Dakota) will continue to a second year as Staff Vice Chair and is joined in that role by Lowell Atchley (Kentucky). NCSL thanks Senator Stephen Morris (Kansas) and Barry Denk (Pennsylvania) for their dedication to the Committee in serving as the 2004-05 Chair and Staff Chair.

FALL FORUM AGENDA TO INCLUDE NCSL RESPONSE TO FARM BILL

The Agriculture & Rural Development Committee will meet in Chicago, Illinois for the Fall Forum, scheduled for December 6-9, 2005. The preliminary agenda was recently drafted by the Officers and includes discussions of state legislative interests in the Farm Bill. Agricultural trade will be a topic of discussion during the Trade Policy Leadership Seminar to be held on December 6 as a pre-conference seminar, as well as during committee time. Preliminary agendas, pre-conference information, and registration and housing details are at www.ncsl.org/forum/index.htm.

USDA SUMMARIZES FARM BILL LISTENING SESSIONS

On October 6, USDA Secretary Michael Johanns spoke to the Commodity Club and Food Group in Washington, D.C. This is one of the Secretary's first summations of the listening sessions he has been holding across the country in preparation for the 2007 Farm Bill. His prepared remarks can be found on the USDA website at www.usda.gov/2005/10/0427.xml. The schedule for continued listening sessions is at www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdafarmbill?navtype=SU&navid=FARM_BILL_FORUMS. Please contact Jeremy Meadows at jeremy.meadows@ncsl.org with any related suggestions for future NCSL conversations on the issue.

CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION POSTPONES UPDATE OF FARM SERVICES AGENCY

On September 28, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced USDA intentions to modernize the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and provide better service to the agriculture community. The eventual goal is to establish a more effective network of state-of-the-art FSA offices by upgrading equipment, investing in technology, and providing personnel with additional training. However, opposition to the plan led to an October 18 letter to Congress stating that the outlined plan would be discarded, but the goal remained on the USDA priority list. More information about FSA programs is available at www.fsa.usda.gov. The USDA announcing press release is at www.usda.gov/2005/09/0405.xml, and the letter to Congress is at http://agriculture.senate.gov/fsa.pdf. Committee members are encouraged to email jeremy.meadows@ncsl.org with any opinions of FSA, any state policy or program interests that intersect with FSA’s mission, and any suggestions state leaders may have for changes within the agency.

USDA EXPANDS PILOT LOANS FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS

On the heels of NCSL’s renewal of the Beginner Farmer Program policy at the Annual Meeting in Seattle, USDA announced on September 15 that California, Minnesota and Nebraska will be added to the list of participating states in the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program. The program was created in the 2002 Farm Bill with six states, and up to five land contracts are guaranteed every year in each of the nine states. The USDA press release announcing the additional states is at www.usda.gov/2005/09/0375.xml. NCSL's policy statement can be viewed at www.ncsl.org/statefed/agtrade.htm.

AG APPROPRIATIONS COMPLETED IN U.S. SENATE