Agriculture Hill Briefing Archives

Drought Briefing: Focus on the East Coast
March 18, 2002 (10:30-11:30am, HC-6 Capitol Building)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

From the Mid-Atlantic region up to Maine, the East Coast is seeing some of the driest conditions in many years, and drought watches, warnings and emergencies have been issued in over 100 counties. This briefing provided an overview of current hydrologic conditions, both surface and groundwater, a comparison of conditions with past dry weather conditions, and the outlook for the near future. Additional information on soil moisture conditions in the Northeast and possible impacts on agriculture and other sectors also was provided. Panelists and topics included:

Jim Laver, Director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is tracking drought conditions nationwide, with a focus on the eastern United States, and has mapped current drought conditions and the drought outlook through June 2002 and issued a press release on the drought status. Additional drought information can be found at NOAA's Drought Information Center.

Harry Lins, Hydrologist, US Geological Survey
The USGS also is tracking drought conditions nationwide, with a focus on the eastern United States. Their Water Watch web site features a map generated by real-time water data collected through the USGS streamgage network, and the map highlights persistent dry conditions on the East Coast.

Bob Marvinney, Director and State Geologist, Maine Department of Conservation's Bureau of Geology and Natural Areas

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute. Additional regional drought information can be found on the Institute's Mid-Atlantic Rivers web page, and national drought information can be found on the Institute's Water Quality and Infrastructure web page.

Renewable Energy and the Farm Bill
January 29, 2002 (10-11am, Russell Senate Office Building, Room 222)
Co-sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute

In November of 2001, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee marked up a new farm bill containing an innovative energy title (Title IX). Endorsed by a wide array of farm, commodity, industry, rural development, environmental, and renewable energy organizations, this title would provide more than $500 million over five years to:

These measures hold promise for providing new income streams, enhancing rural economic development, and improving environmental quality. Panelists and topics included:

Carol Werner, Executive Director, Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)
EESI's recent report titled 'The 2002 Farm Bill: Revitalizing the Farm Economy Through Renewable Energy Development' provides an overview of the energy incentives in Senator Harkin's Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act and explains how they can diversify the energy market, protect the environment, and revitalize rural America. The report can be found on EESI's web site.

Krysta Harden, Gordley Associates and American Soybean Association
Biodiesel and ethanol are promising renewable fuels that have received significant support from the producer community. Other provisions of the energy title that could assist in cutting costs for producers, e.g. energy efficiency measures, were also discussed.

Dr. Pat Gruber, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Cargill Dow, LLC
Cargill Dow, LLC is one of many companies researching the ways that traditional commodity crops (primarily corn) can be used to develop non-petroleum based fibers, polymers ("plastics"), and other chemical compounds for commercial use. These biomass compounds are biodegradable and, if combined with more sustainable farm practices (e.g. buffers, reduced inputs, etc.) and efficient manufacturing processes, can potentially act as a sink for carbon dioxide. Furthermore, this work may have important consequences for rural economic and infrastructure development by stimulating value-added processing and the networks of institutions needed to service increased domestic processing. Additional information can be found on the interagency web site for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative.

Dan Reicher, Visiting Fellow, World Resources Institute
Wind and solar energy are becoming extremely competitive, especially when compared with natural gas. Moreover, the on-farm possibilities are intriguing: it is estimated that some 1000 acre farm operations could net $80,000 from royalties from wind generation. Additional information on wind energy can be found at Windustry and the Sustainable Energy Coalition.

Moderated by Allen Hance, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Farm Bill Reauthorization: Conservation Programs Briefing
September 10, 2001 (10-11am, Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2105)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

Conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) play an increasingly important role in the restoration and enhancement of our nation's soil, water, and wildlife resources, especially as they relate to conservation on private lands. The majority of conservation programs administered by the USDA offer farmers, ranchers, dairy operators, and foresters financial incentives to adopt conservation practices that improve soil productivity, water quality, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. Small family farmers in particular are enrolling in increasing numbers in USDA conservation programs not only because of a commitment to stewardship but also because they provide a secure source of income during times of low commodity prices, making conservation programs an integral part of the overall agricultural safety net.

Discussion topics included the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Farmland Protection Program (FPP), and Forest Landowner Assistance Programs. Additional information about these conservation programs and related issues can be found on the Northeast-Midwest Institute's Conservation Resources web page. Speakers included:

Allen Hance, Senior Policy Analyst, Northeast-Midwest Institute
Dan Wrinn, Policy Analyst, Northeast-Midwest Institute
Nadine Block, Program Associate, Pinchot Instutute for Conservation (Forestry in the Farm Bill Program)

Farmland conservation is critical to the future of a diverse system of agricultural production that sustains farmers, ranchers, and foresters and promotes healthy working landscapes. National efforts have increased public awareness of the need for farmland protection, and diverse state and local financial tools have aided in reducing farmland loss. Panelists and topics included:

Ralph Grossi, President, American Farmland Trust
A national poll conducted by American Farmland Trust has shown that voters value farms and ranches for their environmental, social, and economic benefits; they want federal programs that support these values; and they are willing to pay to ensure conservation benefits from farms and ranches.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

The Uses and Abuses of Models in Agricultural Policy: Assessing Crop Prices, Farm Income, Export Projections, and Environmental Impacts
July 20, 2001 (9:30-10:30am, Capitol Building, Room HC-6)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

Agriculture policy makers rely extensively on models developed by government agencies, academic institutions, and other research groups in formulating federal agriculture programs and policies, which in turn have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts on U.S. farmers, consumers, and taxpayers. Several assessment tools are currently being used to analyze critical economic, social, and environmental trends in agriculture, including crop prices, farm income, export projections, and water quality impacts. Panelists and topics included:

Dr. Daryll E. Ray, Director and Founder of the Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (APAC) and Professor of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee
Assumptions about the nature of crop markets are critical and can fundamentally affect analyses of agricultural policies.

Dr. Suzie Greenhalgh, Associate, Economics Program, World Resources Institute (WRI)
The WRI has used the U.S. Regional Agricultural Sector Model (USMP), a tool developed by the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), to analyze the economic and environmental impact of various policy options on US agriculture.

Dr. Philip W. Rice, Project Manager, Sustainability Institute
The Sustainability Institute's Corn System Project aims to provide stakeholders in the commodity corn producing system with the tools needed to better understand the complex interactions between price, subsidies, farm income, and acreage base and how changes could make the system function more efficiently and sustainably.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Thriving small- and moderate-sized family farms promote healthy rural communities and good stewardship of the land while also creating jobs, supporting other businesses, and producing food and fiber. However, family farmers – particularly small-scale, minority, limited-resource, and beginning farmers – are put at a competitive disadvantage by the increasingly large-scale industrial structure of agriculture supported by many federal agriculture policies. Many groups across the country believe that efforts to strengthen rural economies should emphasize family-scale, agriculturally-based rural development. Many farmers, ranchers, and their communities are calling for resources to explore innovative marketing, enterprise, and economic development options that will revitalize agricultural communities by enabling them to capture a greater share of food and agriculture system profit. Panelists and topics included:

John Hopkins is a family farmer from Orangeville, Pennsylvania where he and his wife raise and direct markets in their rural area for pastured poultry, beef, lamb pork and eggs. John also serves on the Board of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), whose mission is to promote profitable farms that produce healthy food for all people while respecting the natural environment. Mr. Hopkins discussed his successful agricultural entrepreneurship story and the need for federal policy reforms.

Kim Leval, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Rural Affairs and National Public Policy Coordinator and Development Specialist, Consortium for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (CSARE)
The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture's Agricultural Community Revitalization and Enterprise (ACRE) initiative seeks to increase the farm and ranch share of food system profit; to support the revitalization of agricultural communities through entrepreneurship, value-added enterprises, and alternative marketing channels; and to enhance the availability and diversity of agricultural products produced in a manner that contributes to the social, environmental, and economic vitality of agricultural communities and the nation as a whole.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

A Growing Concern: Concentration and Competition in Agriculture
July 9, 2001 (10-11:15am, Capitol Building, Room HC-6)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

The trend toward concentration and vertical integration in agriculture has moved competition policy to the top of the list of concerns for many producers and agricultural communities. As agribusiness firms consolidate, producers find themselves with a dwindling list of options for marketing their products. To insulate themselves from the risks associated with price volatility and shrinking markets, more and more producers are giving up their independent operations and moving toward contract arrangements with vertically integrated agribusinesses. However, many contract producers find themselves with no power to negotiate the terms of these contracts, which are often offered on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, with mandatory confidentiality clauses that limit the price transparency in these markets. The lack of competition and growing corporate control of the marketplace is of great concern to producers and consumers alike. Panelists and topics included:

Bryce Oates, Communications Director, Missouri Rural Crisis Center
Founded in 1985, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center is a progressive, statewide membership nonprofit organization that works to empower farmers and other rural people. Its mission is to preserve family farms, promote stewardship of the land and environmental integrity, and strive for economic and social justice by building unity and mutual understanding among diverse groups, both rural and urban. The Center can be contacted by mail at 1108 Rangeline St., Columbia, MO 65202; by phone at (573) 449-1336; or by email at morural@coin.org.

Steve Etka, Legislative Coordinator, Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform (CCAR)
The National Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform, a national alliance of organizations working to provide a voice for farmers and ranchers involved in contract agriculture, as well as the communities in which they live.

Michael Stumo, General Counsel, Organization for Competitive Markets
As a multidisciplinary nonprofit group comprised of farmers, ranchers, academics, attorneys, political leaders and business people, OCM provides research, information and advocacy towards a goal of increasing competition in the agricultural marketplace and protecting those markets from abuses of corporate power. Recent OCM efforts include "A Public Interest Rationale for a Competition Title in the Next Farm Bill" and "A Summary of Proposals for a Competition Title in the Next Farm Bill."

Carol Morrison and her husband, Frank, operate a third-generation family farm in Pocomoke City, Maryland and have raised chickens under contract for 16 years. She has been active for the past 10 years working to give contract poultry farmers a voice and is the executive director of the Delmarva Poultry Justice Alliance (DPJA). DPJA is an alliance of stakeholders in the poultry industry including farmers, workers, environmentalists, the faith-based community, consumers, and community advocates.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Are the Nation's Wetlands at Risk?
May 21, 2001 (2:30-3:30pm, Cannon House Office Building, Room 121)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

Though wetlands provide multiple benefits including wildlife habitat, flood water storage, drought protection, water quality improvement, soil conservation, and recreational opportunities, several recent legal and policy decisions have prompted a new round of debates about the adequacy of federal wetlands programs and regulations. Furthermore, with the program cap for the popular Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) to be met this year, the Administration's budget proposes no funding for WRP for fiscal 2002. Additionally, the USDA's controversial Swampbuster program, which discourages the conversion of wetlands to other uses, is likely to be reviewed in the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Panelists and topics included:

Julie Sibbing, Wetland Legislative Representative, National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is focuses on a variety of wetlands-related issues, including the Swampbuster program, legislative initiatives at the state and federal level, and the implications of the recent Supreme Court decision in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) v. U.S. Army Corps.

George Mannina, Jr., Attorney, O'Connor & Hannan, L.L.P.
Mr. Mannina was the lead counsel in the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) v. U.S. Army Corps case before the District Court and the 7th Circuit and served as part of the legal team which presented the case to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decision in this case stresses the need for national protection of wetlands through Congressional initiatives rather than reliance on courts on a case-by-case basis.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Excessive nutrients from point and nonpoint sources, particularly nitrogen and phosphorous, can lead to algal blooms and eutrophication, which threaten drinking water supplies, aquatic life, and recreational water uses. Panelists and topics included:

Allison Wiedeman, Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
The Nutrient Subcommittee focuses on nutrient management strategies and multi-state cooperation in achievement of nutrient reduction goals in the Chesapeake Bay.

Paul Faeth, Director, Economics Program, World Resources Institute
As stated in a testimony to Congress, there are economic incentives for nutrient management within the context of the Farm Bill, as well as market based incentives (such as nutrient trading) for improved nutrient management and the co-benefits to climate.

Martha Noble, Senior Policy Analyst, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition represents twelve Midwest-based farm, rural, and conservation organizations which advocate public policies supporting the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources and rural communities. Members include the Center for Rural Affairs, Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Kansas Rural Center, Land Stewardship Project, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Minnesota Food Association, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, Sierra Club Agriculture Committee, The Minnesota Project, and the Wisconsin Rural Development Center. The Coalition works within the broader 35-member Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. Contact the Coalition by phone at 202-547-5754. Ms. Noble's presentation surveyed the role of sustainable agriculture in nutrient management.

Dave Salmonsen, Director, Congressional Relations/Legislative Counsel, Public Policy Team, Farm Bureau
There are currently several agricultural community initiatives and programs for nutrient management.

Dale Bucks, Co-Leader, National Program Leader for Water Quality and Management, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA has several approaches for nutrient management in its water quality programs and policies.

Moderated by Laura Cimo. For more information, please contact Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Sound management of grazing lands provides farmers and rural communities with numerous economic, environmental, and social benefits. This briefing on sustainable agriculture and livestock management featured presentations by farmers and farm groups from the Northeast and Midwest regions who have implemented management intensive grazing systems on their lands. It also provided background information on the proposed Conservation Security Act and how the Act could help farmers using or wishing to establish managed grazing systems and other sustainable agricultural practices. Panelists and topics included:

Kim Cates, Project Coordinator, Great Lakes Grazing Network and Wisconsin Rural Development Center
Intensively managed grazing systems convey multiple economic and environmental benefits.

Martha Noble, Senior Policy Analyst, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition represents twelve Midwest-based farm, rural, and conservation organizations which advocate public policies supporting the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources and rural communities. Members include the Center for Rural Affairs, Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Kansas Rural Center, Land Stewardship Project, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Minnesota Food Association, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, Sierra Club Agriculture Committee, The Minnesota Project, and the Wisconsin Rural Development Center. The Coalition works within the broader 35-member Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. Contact the Coalition by phone at 202-547-5754. The topic of Ms. Noble's presentation is the Conservation Security Act (S. 932 or H.R. 1949).

Greg Rogers, Cambrige City, IN
Ralph Lentz, Lake City, MN
Dick Warner, Cincinnatus, NY
Mike Carroll, Cortland, NY
Jim Henry, New Bethleham, PA
Terri Straub, St. Johns, MI
Mary Anderson, Whitehall, WI
Michael Heller, Clagett Farm, MD

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute.

Conducted by staff from the Congressional Research Service, this briefing was provided for congressional staff with minimal background on agriculture policy. It reviewed the major titles of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (FAIR), including commodity programs, trade, conservation, nutrition assistance, rural development, research-extension-education, and other miscellaneous items.

Farm Bill Reathorization Briefing
January 29, 2001 (2-3pm, Capitol Building, Room SC-4)
Sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalitions

This briefing provided an overview of U.S. farm policy and enabled participants to ask majority and minority staff from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and from the Congressional Research Service about anticipated Farm Bill issues in the 107th Congress.

Moderated by Allen Hance, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast Midwest Institute