For Further Information: Jon Hiler, Membership & Community Service
Phone: 616.428.6327 Fax: 616.429.3852: email: hilerj@aol.com or
hiler@asae.org
Sustainable Agriculture--"Critical Policy Issues: The 1995 Farm
Bill Debate"
Richard E. Stuckey, Executive Vice President, The Council for Agricultural
and Science
Technology (CAST), announces a national conference on Sustainable
Agriculture,
January 23-25, 1995, in Washington, D.C.
The 1995 Farm Bill debates will be challenging and complex. There are
numerous
conversations underway to develop and promote tools that support "sustainable
agriculture practices," conservation and environmental concerns, and rural
community
development. Key to creating policy to address these goals without
inadvertently
creating contradictory policy mechanisms, will be successful integration
amongst interest
groups to address all of these issues, while continuing to address trade
issues, market
stabilization and the economic issues of producers.
The conference is formatted to foster open and honest dialogue among the
speakers,
panelists, and attendees. Session speakers will be followed by panels that
include
environmentalists, scientists and economists, consumer advocates,
administration,
agricultural industry representatives, producers, and congressional staff.
They will
deliberate a broad array of policy goals, identify research and information
needs, review
Farm Bill policies and their impact on sustainability goals, identify
examples of successful
programs and projects, nurture common interests and consensus, and deliver
timely
information to influence and enhance policy, social and economic agendas, and
guide
future research and development toward more effective management of our
natural
resources.
Participants will include members of congress and their staffs,
representatives from
USDA and other Administration, members of special interests groups including
universities, relevant industries, and representatives from the engineering
and scientific
community. Administration officials and members of Congress that will play a
key role in
development of the 1995 Farm Bill will be featured speakers at meals and
receptions.