June 3, 2008
Honorable Ed Schafer
Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Whitten Federal Building, 12th & Jefferson Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Mr. Secretary:
The Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) are writing to express our interest and support as you begin to implement the new Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. As the chief agricultural officers in our respective states and territories, we are ready to help you and USDA ensure that the delivery of services to the agricultural community and consumers is effective and efficient.
The new Farm Bill establishes many new programs and authorities that will significantly impact farm services, natural resources, nutrition, food safety, research, pests and diseases, and international trade. The new law also provides important new tools and policies that state agriculture departments and others are eager to use.
Our members understand that implementing these provisions will be an enormous task, requiring additional rules, regulations and procedures. We share your commitment to appropriate planning, coordination and implementation of the new law. NASDA urges you to publish implementation plans and hold outreach sessions to provide agricultural constituents with up-to-date information and opportunities to provide input throughout this process.
State agriculture departments have long-standing cooperative partnerships with USDA and we would be pleased to assist you in any way possible during the implementation process. Our members are particularly interested in working with USDA on many of our Farm Bill priorities, such as the disaster assistance program, interstate meat sales, specialty crop block grants, school nutrition, and energy production.
We greatly appreciate your efforts to deliver the benefits of the 2008 Farm Bill to all stakeholders in a timely and efficient manner.
Sincerely,
Roger Johnson
NASDA President
Commissioner, North Dakota Department of Agriculture