NASDA 2002 Farm Bill Policy Initiative: Project Description

(Approved: July 14, 1999 by Board of Directors and Management Group)

Introduction and Purpose:

The business of producing food and fiber for America and the world is changing rapidly, and policy makers need to be aware of these changes to make prudent policy decisions that will ensure the survivability and enhance the profitability of U.S. agricultural producers. State and federal policies can either enhance change, or be an impediment to change. Understanding the shifting dynamics in food and fiber production, and developing strategic policies to enhance our competitiveness, will help position American agriculture to benefit from the opportunities that change will create.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, representing the 50 states and 4 territories will analyze these forces of change and develop a comprehensive set of proposals for Congress and the Administration to consider as the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 expires.

Below is described a procedure for NASDA to develop a comprehensive set of proposals for the anticipated 2002 Farm Bill. This procedure utilizes the existing NASDA committee structure to consider and develop the individual concepts and proposals, but recognizes the unique nature of this undertaking and provides for a strong oversight role by the Board of Directors to ensure the project is completed within the time frame and policy guidelines established.

Management and Oversight:

The six existing NASDA policy committees will be used to develop designated sections of the overall document. The subjects of these sections will correspond to the existing list of issues that the committees normally manage for NASDA. The committees may utilize subcommittees or task forces to develop specific ideas and proposals.

The Board of Directors will meet periodically with the chairs of the six committees and any special subcommittees (the Management Group) to get progress reports, set due dates, and monitor the overall project. The Board will also resolve any jurisdictional questions and maintain consistency of approach among the committees. The Board should always be focusing on the "big picture." Periodic conference calls and in-person meetings of the Management Group will be required.

General Procedure:

-Determine Scope- each policy committee should develop an initial outline of topics to be addressed and a description of the committee's preliminary conclusions for each section of the overall document they are assigned to develop. The committees should also try to determine their work plans to complete the information-gathering phase, and any other "special needs" (e.g. expert consultants, economic and/or scientific analysis) in order to get some idea of budget needs.

-Develop Framework Document- Following the scoping phase, the Management Group will meet in person to review the outlines for the individual sections developed by the committees. The Management Group will assemble a comprehensive framework document that organizes all sections, lists all topics to be addressed, describes the preliminary conclusions, and sets forth the time table to be used in completing the final document. This framework document (including budget implications) will be discussed at the NASDA mid-year meeting in March, 2000. A vote on the framework document could potentially be taken a the mid-year meeting before proceeding to the next phase.

-Information Gathering- After compilation (and approval) of the framework document, the policy committees will explore the issues they have identified and develop recommended policies or programs. The committees do not necessarily need to follow identical processes. The committees will have the discretion to determine how best to obtain the information they need to complete their tasks. Ideas include (but are not limited to):

•"listening sessions" or field hearings to gather information directly from producers; •structured hearings (either in Washington, DC or in the field) to invite specific organizations, industries, or academics to present background information or proposals;

•"calls for proposals" from agricultural organizations

•"brainstorming sessions" (see description in footnote)

-Initial Draft Document -- The information gathering phase should be completed by December, 2000 whereupon an initial draft document will be written. This initial draft will be reviewed and discussed at the NASDA mid-year meeting in March, 2001.

-Conclusion - Following discussion of the initial draft, the policy committees will begin final editing of their sections. The final document be voted upon by the full membership at the NASDA annual meeting in Burlington, Vermont, in September, 2001. The Management Group will develop a recommendation to the membership concerning special rules of procedure (amendments and voting) for consideration of the final document.

-Budget- In conjunction with compiling the framework document the Management Group will review the committees' intended work plans and any "special needs" to develop a project budget. The Board of Directors has determined that the project will be funded using NASDA's reserve funds and will not be integrated into NASDA's general operating budget. Special assistance such as detail personnel will be requested from appropriate federal agencies and other organizations.

-Strategic Partnership Organizations - NASDA will inform and invite the participation throughout the process of the nation's governors through their regional and national associations. Also, key agricultural leaders from the state legislatures will be invited to participate in the process through the regional councils of state government and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

-Release- The Management Group will determine at a future date how NASDA will publicize and circulate its proposal. Potential options could include: a printed document to be distributed to Congress and Administration; draft legislation; a press conference; briefing sessions for Congress and Administration.

Getting Started:

NASDA staff has researched both the 1990 and 1996 Farm Bills and constructed an outline of subjects covered. This will be compared with current NASDA policy and a matrix will be provided to the Management Group and each committee chair as a starting point for the scoping phase. Staff has also begun identifying and compiling a list of significant "resource documents" which can be used by the committees.

Keeping the Membership Informed of Progress:

Since the document will be worked on in sections at the committee level, it is important to keep the membership informed about progress so that they can get a sense of what the whole document looks like and to make sure it stays generally within acceptable philosophical ideologies. A special section will be set up in "Members Only" area of the NASDA website so that any member can check on progress on any aspect of the farm bill document at any time. A running "working draft" of the entire document will be available on the web at all times.

Note:

Brainstorming Sessions: The Council of State Governments uses an approach called "brainstorming" to develop policy recommendations on its priority issues. Under this approach, staff organizes a diverse panel of national experts and state legislators that represent as many perspectives on the issue as possible. Prior to a session, each panel member submits a "proposal" the outlines what he or she feels are the major areas to be addressed and recommends policy options. Staff integrates the "proposals" submitted by the panelists and prepares a list of issues and options. The panel convenes for an intense, eight-hour working session with a trained facilitator. There is no audience at the session. The panel members reach consensus on the policy options agreed to at the end of the process, agreeing all recommendations are valid for state policy-makers to consider.

Brainstorming Sessions: The Council of State Governments uses an approach called "brainstorming" to develop policy recommendations on its priority issues. Under this approach, staff organizes a diverse panel of national experts and state legislators that represent as many perspectives on the issue as possible. Prior to a session, each panel member submits a "proposal" the outlines what he or she feels are the major areas to be addressed and recommends policy options. Staff integrates the "proposals" submitted by the panelists and prepares a list of issues and options. The panel convenes for an intense, eight-hour working session with a trained facilitator. There is no audience at the session. The panel members reach consensus on the policy options agreed to at the end of the process, agreeing all recommendations are valid for state policy-makers to consider.

NASDA 2002 Farm Bill Policy Initiative: Project Timeline

Task Who When

Research Phase NASDA Staff Complete by June 30, 1999

Scoping Phase Standing Committees July through Sept, 1999

Compile Framework Document Management Group Oct 1999 through Feb, 2000

Discussion of Framework Document
(optional vote)
Reports from Committee Chairs Mid-Year Meeting
March, 2000

Information Gathering Standing Committees Mar through Dec, 2000

Progress Discussion Reports from Committee Chairs September, 2000
Annual Meeting (OH)

Compile and distribute initial draft document Management Group January/February, 2001

Presidential, Congressional, and State Elections November, 2000
(potential new NASDA members)

New Administration and Congress Takes Office January, 2001

Progress discussion Reports from Committee Chairs Mid-Year Meeting
Feb/March, 2001

Final Writing Phase Standing Committees Mar through July, 2001

Compile and distribute draft final document Management Group August, 2001

Discussion of Final Document
(final vote)
Membership September, 2001
Annual Meeting (VT.)

Document Production and Release To be Determined Fall, 2001

Briefings for Congress and Administration To be Determined Fall, 2001

Congress and Administration draft farm bills estimated February, 2002

Congress votes on Farm Bill estimated July/August, 2002

NASDA 2002 Farm Bill Project - Emerging Issues List (partial)

Agricultural Research

Biotechnology & the BioSafety Protocol

Global Climate Change (Kyoto Agreement)

EPA Particulate Matter Standards/Regional Haze

Anti-trust and market regulation & enforcement

Farm Viability/Sustainability (risk management programs, price protection programs, variable programs of support based on production unit size (large vs small - tends to reflect regional diversity)

Linkage of conservation dollars and safety net programs

dollars to farms from other sources such as EPA (thru CWA/NPS funds) and FWS (thru ESA funds)

Intergenerational Farm transfers

Bioterrorism

Antibiotic resistance

Use of new technologies to address food safety and environmental concerns

anaerobic digestion of livestock waste

DNA testing of water pollution components

NASDA 2002 Farm Bill Project -- Strategic Partners

Council on Agricultural Science and Technology

Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (Board on Agriculture)

National Governors Association

National Conference of State Legislatures

Council of State Governments

Task	Who	When
Research Phase	NASDA Staff	Complete by June 30, 1999
Scoping Phase	Standing Committees	July through Sept, 1999
Compile Framework Document	Management Group	Oct 1999 through Feb, 2000
Discussion of Framework Document (optional vote)	Reports from Committee Chairs	Mid-Year Meeting March, 2000
Information Gathering	Standing Committees	Mar through Dec, 2000
Progress Discussion	Reports from Committee Chairs	September, 2000 Annual Meeting (OH)
Compile and distribute initial draft document	Management Group	January/February, 2001
*Presidential, Congressional, and State Elections*		*November, 2000* (potential new NASDA members)
*New Administration and Congress Takes Office*		*January, 2001*
Progress discussion	Reports from Committee Chairs	Mid-Year Meeting Feb/March, 2001
Final Writing Phase	Standing Committees	Mar through July, 2001
Compile and distribute draft final document	Management Group	August, 2001
Discussion of Final Document (final vote)	Membership	September, 2001 Annual Meeting (VT.)
Document Production and Release	To be Determined	Fall, 2001
Briefings for Congress and Administration	To be Determined	Fall, 2001
*Congress and Administration draft farm bills*	*estimated*	*February, 2002*
*Congress votes on Farm Bill*	*estimated*	*July/August, 2002*