August 7, 2002 Conference Call - Rural Development and Financial Security Policy Committee
- August 07, 2002
3:00PM - 4:00PM
Rural Development and Financial Security Policy Committee
Conference Call Meeting
August 7, 2002, 3:00 to 4:00 pm (eastern)
The Chair, Commissioner Roger Johnson of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, called the conference call to order.
Committee members participating:
Sheldon Jones, Director, Arizona Department of Agriculture
Shirley Ferris, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Patty Judge, Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Robert Spear, Commissioner, Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources
Ralph Peck, Director, Montana Department of Agriculture
Meg Scott Phipps, Commissioner, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Dennis Howard, Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
Larry Gabriel, Secretary of Agriculture, South Dakota Department of Agriculture
Representatives of committee members on the call:
Ron Zellar, Montana
Sally Oxenhandler, Missouri
Deanne Hackman, Missouri
Tom Sexton, Oklahoma
Lisa Elledge, Texas
Louise Cauldron, Vermont
Don Christensen, Wyoming
Ira Linville, Kentucky
Randall Johnson
Commissioner Johnson opened the call with a discussion on disaster assistance legislation and the various bills that were introduced in Congress before the August recess began. Some bills provide funding through Aemergency@ designated funds and others through various offsets and savings from the 2002 Farm Bill. The committee was provided a draft letter to Congress for its review and comment.
Director Ralph Peck suggested changes to the letter to accurately describe the current conditions in Montana. Secretary Larry Gabriel provided information on current conditions in South Dakota especially in regards to livestock conditions. Several members commented on crop insurance and its availability for livestock producers and specialty crops. Others commented that the letter should be written in a way to provide the latitude to work with Congress in developing an agricultural disaster assistance package when they return in September.
North Carolina Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps moved that the committee recommends that the letter, as modified by the committee during the call, be sent to all Congressional members urging them to support legislation and funding that would provide agricultural disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers. South Dakota Secretary Larry Gabriel seconded the motion.
The motion carried unanimously.
Commissioner Johnson then opened the discussion on the Annual Meeting in Lexington and asked for suggestions for the committee meeting agenda. It was proposed that reports from the Administration on Farm Bill implementation be an agenda priority including agency reports from the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development and the Risk Management Agency. Also, it was suggested that Joe Davis of AgriLogic be invited to provide an update on cost of production insurance. Other suggestions for the agenda included farm labor issues.
There being no further discussion, Commissioner Johnson adjourned the conference call meeting at 3:55 pm.