NFACT COALITION INFORMING CONGRESS

Five state departments of agriculture making recommendations in nation’s capitol

SACRAMENTO, July 17, 2001-One of the earliest goals of NFACT--greater input on the 2002 federal farm bill--is in sight this week as the NFACT coalition is in Washington D.C. to meet with members of Congress and administration officials.

NFACT, representing New Mexico, Florida, Arizona, California, and Texas Departments of Agriculture is delivering a report called “NFACT: Framework for the Future of Agriculture.” The NFACT report is the product of a series of hearings throughout the member states last winter. It provides recommendations in the areas of animal and plant health, conservation, marketing, research, and risk management. The recommendations are for consideration during the development of the farm bill, a 5-year, $90 billion agricultural spending blueprint.

“Together, the NFACT states are a national agricultural force,” said CDFA Secretary William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr., one of the organizers of the coalition. “I am pleased that we have reached this point in our collaboration and optimistic that we can secure major gains for our specialty crop, livestock, poultry and aquaculture producers, along with our major commodities.”

The coalition states account for 26 percent of U.S. agriculture cash receipts, as well as 25 percent of the nation’s congressional representatives.

For more information on “NFACT: Framework for the Future of Agriculture,” view the Internet at www.cdfa.ca.gov/nfact.


-30-


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 @www.cdfa.ca.gov.