FORUM ON 2002 FARM BILL TOMORROW IN PASO ROBLES

Sacramento, February 7, 2001 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture and NFACT will hold the next facilitated forum on the 2002 Farm Bill tomorrow in Paso Robles at the California Mid-State Fairgrounds, 2198 Riverside Avenue. Congress uses the Farm Bill as a guide for directing federal agricultural policy. These forums will provide California’s farmers, ranchers and the public an opportunity to provide input into the development of this important document. Local agriculture industry leaders and government officials are invited to join state and federal authorities at the forum.

NFACT is a coalition of the New Mexico, Florida, Arizona, California and Texas Departments of Agriculture. The group was formed in 1999 to bring due attention to specialty crop and livestock issues. Priority issues to be discussed at each forum will include animal and plant health, conservation, international and domestic marketing, research and risk management. There will also be an opportunity for public comment on any other issue impacted by the Farm Bill. These comments will be limited to 3 minutes per person, with sign-up the day of the forum.

The forum will start at 8:00 a. m. For more information regarding NFACT, visit CDFA’s website at www.cdfa.ca.gov.

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FLEX YOUR POWER. To meet California’s energy challenge, CDFA urges businesses and consumers to conserve. For a list of simple ways that you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web site at www.cdfa.ca.gov