 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 31, No. 15 * August 9, 1999 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story Farm policy's future to be discussed
Here’s an opportunity to give your opinion on how America’s farm policy should go in the next millennium. The commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture, created by the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, has announced a series of public listening sessions to gather stakeholder input on the future of agricultural policy in the United States after 2002. The sessions are intended to provide the commission with input from all sectors of agriculture throughout the United States. The format of the public listening sessions is one that allows for prepared testimony as well as extemporaneous remarks by those who wish to address the commission, but did not pre-register. All sessions will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., with pre-registered speakers testifying until 3 p.m., followed by an open microphone session until 5 p.m. Listening sessions are scheduled for Aug. 12, in Fresno, Calif.; Aug. 14, in Spokane, Wash.; Aug. 16 in Denver, Colo.; Sept. 21 in Chicago, Ill.; Sept. 23 in Montgomery, Ala.; and Sept 25 in Scranton, Pa. To appear before the commission, interested persons should register either through the commission’s Web site, http://www.commission.org; or by contacting the commission by mail at: Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture, Public Listening Session Sign-up, Room 3702 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0524. Interested persons may also fax their registration to 202/690-4420; please include your name, address, phone, occupation/affiliation, topics to be addressed, and the public listening session you will be attending. Speaking slots are limited. Speaking times will be five minutes per person for those signing up in advance, and three minutes per person for those participating in the open microphone session; all pre-registered speakers are requested to submit their comments in written form. Written comments will also be accepted from those individuals who cannot attend the listening sessions. The deadline to sign-up for the September public listening sessions is Sept. 3. For more information on the public listening sessions, please visit the commission Web site or contact Tim Peters at 202/720-4860. |