Corn Growers Prepare for 2002 Farm Bill Debate

August 22, 2000

Nearly 50 corn growers from key corn-growing states are attending a "Farm Bill School" this week sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) in Washington. "The purpose of this school is to provide a broad depth of farm policy and an idea of where things are going," NCGA Vice President of Public Policy Bruce Knight told school attendees. "Each of you will be able to bring these tools to the table in your state's resolution development process." He added that NCGA plans to "hit the ground running" as discussions on the 2002 farm bill begin.

Presenters and their topics at the Farm Bill School include: Bill Hoagland, majority staff director, Senate Budget Committee, a broad overview of the appropriations/budget process; David Orden, professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, "How We Got from the New Deal to Today's AMTA Payments"; Bill Richards, conservation farming advocate, farm conservation programs of today and the past;

Karen Ackerman, senior economist, Office of the United States Trade Representative, agriculture trade programs of today and the past; John Hays, vice president of policy analysis and development, Farm Credit Council, farm credit programs; Diana Felner, manager, Biotechnology Programs, biotechnology and future policy; Chuck Fluharty, director, Rural Policy Research Institute, rural development programs; and Bill Hudson, founder and senior partner, ProExporter Network, World Corn Industry 1850-2050.