Nearly 200 U.S. agricultural leaders are expected in Athens
Aug. 25-27 for the National
Symposium on the Future of American Agriculture. The program
will beat at the Georgia
Center for Continuing Education on the Athens, Ga., campus of
the University of Georgia.

Academics, federal and state policy makers, farmers,
consumers and national and state
organizations representing farm commodities, growers, consumers
and environmentalists
gather for the event. They will meet to address the challenges
facing U.S. agriculture in
the 21st century.

The program is sponsored by the UGA College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences,
the Farm Foundation and the National Public Policy Education
Committee.

The symposium will feature a number of nationally known
speakers. They will speak on
such topics as the global economy, profitability and ownership,
dealing with instability,
environmental quality and biotechnology’s impact. Participants
will discuss and prioritize
the issues and develop alternative policies for further
analysis.

Senate Committee
Hearing

The final session Friday, Aug. 27, will end with a field
hearing for the U.S. Senate
Agricultural Committee to report findings from the symposium to
Congress. Georgia Senator
Paul Coverdell will chair the hearing.

“The results of the symposium should help Congress
evaluate policy decisions for
the next farm bill,” said conference chair Bob Shulstad, a
UGA agricultural
economist. “We hope it will provide a basis for potential
funding requests for
research, teaching and extension programs that the Congress may
wish to introduce.”

The National Symposium for the Future of American
Agriculture is open to the public.
Registration is $200. For more information or to register, call
(706) 542-2134.