05/05/05 Farm Bill listening sessions

05/05/05 Farm Bill listening sessions

There has already been talk around Washington D.C. and among the nation's farmers and ranchers for some time that dialogue should begin soon to craft the next federal Farm Bill. The 2007 version, no matter what shape it takes, is expected to be very dynamic in terms of conservation, support, and other ag programs. But the one thing U.S.D.A. officials do not want this new Farm Bill to be is lacking in comments and critiques from farmers and ranchers. That is especially true after the agency and the Bush Administration was criticized for not roviding enough input to Congress during the shaping of the 2002 Farm Bill. So with that in mind, the current U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns and his agency are going on the offensive. JOHANNS: I am announcing that the U.S.D.A. will conduct a nationwide series of listening sessions. I want to ask farmers and ranchers how our farm policy is affecting them, and how we can make that policy better. The listening sessions are set to begin this summer. However, the locations and times have not yet been set. One reason is that Johanns wants to foster debate within those places and with those groups that truly want to participate in the process. There was a reason Johanns made the listening session announcement during a recent visit with the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. He was soliciting that Association and others like commodity organizations, big and small, and community groups to get involved in setting up and promoting the listening sessions for the clientele they serve & America's farmers and ranchers. JOHANNS: I feel very, very strongly again that these are the folks that are there working with the policies once they become law. I think there are going to have some great ideas. I'm very anxious and there won't be a listening session where we aren't involving farmers. I'll guarantee that. Such venues for listening sessions could include large gathering places such as state fairs and ag shows. Johanns says while he wants agriculture's input on future programs affecting it, he is especially interested in hearing how to improve entry conditions for young and beginning producers, and foster and encourage their growing involvement in agriculture. JOHANNS: I feel very very confident that as we hear from farmers and ranchers, we are going to hear how things are working, and what isn't working. I think we're going to hear from them about programs that we might want to consider.
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