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National Symposium on the 
Future of American Agriculture

August 25--27, 1999

Georgia Center for Continuing Education
Athens, Georgia 

Hosted by 

The University of Georgia
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM

Objective

Description of current situation, identification of the problems and challenges facing U.S. agriculture in the 21st Century, priorities for the issues and alternative policy revisions to address the issues. 

Audience

Academics, policy makers, national and state producer/commodity organizations, producers and consumers, environmental organizations, consumer organizations 

Expected Attendance

200 - 300 

Products

Proceeding will be published including all presentations, discussant prepared responses, questions and responses, all written questions and statements submitted by audience, and the final results or recommendations developed by participants in the break-out sessions. The U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee will record the proceedings in a field hearing and will report the findings to Congress. The report will also be provided to state and federal agencies, individual firms and corporations, universities and the media. Major presentations will also be published in the Journal of Agribusiness. All Symposium participants should share the results with the groups they represent. 

Sponsors

  • College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 
  • University of Georgia 
  • Farm Foundation 
  • National Public Policy Education Committee 

Mission

To bring together experts from the nation's leading agricultural colleges to discuss the challenges facing the agricultural industry in the 21st Century. The results of the symposium should assist Congress in evaluating policy decisions for the next farm bill and hopefully provide a basis for potential funding requests for research, teaching and extension programs that the Congress may wish to introduce. 

Program 

Wednesday, August 25, 1999
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.  Registration 
7:00 p.m.  Reception 
Thursday, August 26, 1999
8:00 - 8:40 a.m. 

 

 Opening Remarks 

Dean Gale A. Buchanan, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Senator Paul D. Coverdell, Georgia Congressional Delegation 

8:40 a.m. 

 

 Setting the Stage: American Agriculture Today and What We Can Expect Over the Next 5 to 10 Years 

Presenters:
Abner Womack, University of Missouri 
Ed Smith, Texas A&M 

9:10 a.m. 

 

 Global Economy - Trade Policy: What Domestic Policies Are Consistent With a Truly Global Marketplace? Implications for U.S. Producers and Consumers 

Presenters:
Bruce Gardner, University of Maryland 
Wayne Boutwell, Southern States Cooperative 
Dan Sumner, University of Cal-Davis 

10:10 a.m.  Three presenters field written questions from audience 
10:30 a.m.  Break 
10:55 a.m.  Profitability and Ownership: Current structure of American Agriculture; What structural changes are anticipated? Can producers capture more of the value added? 

Presenters:
Michael Boehlje, Purdue University 
Neil Harl, Iowa State 
Mark Drabenstott, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City 

11:55 a.m.  Three presenters field written questions from audience m
12:15 p.m.  Lunch - Getting Out Agriculture's Message 

Speaker:
David King, Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System and 
   Purdue University 

1:45 p.m.  How to Deal with the Instability: What is needed? A quick fix? A more secure safety net for the Transition? How can producers manage the risk of a freer global economy? 

Presenters: 
Barry Goodwin, North Carolina State University 
Keith Coble, Mississippi State University 
Jeffrey Dorfman, University of Georgia 

2:45 p.m.  Three presenters field written questions from audience
3:05 p.m.  Break 
3:30 p.m.  Environmental Quality, Resource Management and Food Safety: Issues Arising from food production and consumption in a global market 

Presenters:
John Antle, Montana State University 
Sandra Batie, Michigan State 
Michael Doyle, University of Georgia 

4:30 p.m.  Three presenters field written questions from audience
4:45 p.m.  Distribute participant surveys 
5:00 p.m.  Adjourn 
6:00 p.m.  Cocktails 
7:15 p.m.  Dinner - Biotechnology's Impact on the Future of American Agriculture 

Speaker:
Roger Malkin, Chairman, Delta Pine and Land Company 

Friday, August 27, 1999
8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Opening Remarks 

Senator Paul Coverdell 
Thomas T. Irvin, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture 
Wayne Dollar, President, Georgia Farm Bureau 
 

8:40 a.m.  Breakout Sessions to discuss and prioritize the issues and develop alternative policies needing further analysis 

Each group will address each of the four primary themes. Two themes prior to break and two themes following break. Participants will be assigned to groups of 20 - 30 individuals. 
 

10:00 a.m. Break 
10:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions continue 
11:45 a.m. Collect participant surveys 
12:00 Noon Lunch - U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee Field Hearing 

Chaired by: Senator Paul D. Coverdell 
Purpose: To report findings from the National Symposium on the 
Future of American Agriculture 

 

1:30 p.m. Adjourn 

A follow-up questionnaire will be sent to each participant asking them to evaluate alternative policies and prioritize the importance of issues raised during the symposium.