| | Purpose of travel:
To attend and participate in the annual Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture (WASDA) meeting.
Overview:
WASDA is a multi-state organization under the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). WASDA brings together the western United States (US) state departments of agriculture Secretaries, Commissioners and Directors to discuss areas of mutual interest and concern. Membership includes: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Alberta and British Columbia are affiliate members and are invited to take part in the discussions.
The WASDA meeting provides Alberta with an opportunity to meet with key agriculture decision makers from the western US to advance Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food interests and to find areas of collaboration.
The Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Service Alberta, attended the meeting as a member of the State Agriculture Rural Leaders Board (SARL). Minister Snelgrove was elected to serve on the SARL board for a two year term in 2006.
The Honourable George Groeneveld attended in his role as Minister of Agriculture and Food.
Alberta’s Objectives at this year’s meeting were to:
- exchange information and dispel misinformation on key agriculture issues;
- enhance Alberta’s profile and relationships with key US state decision makers;
- promote collaborative approaches to common issues and opportunities;
- advocate for the earliest possible resumption of trade in cattle over thirty months of age;
- advocate for repeal of mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COL); and
- advocate for a World Trade Organization outcome that significantly reduces trade-distorting domestic support, makes deep cuts to all tariffs, and eliminates all forms of export subsidies.
Meeting Summary:
The agenda for the WASDA meeting included agriculture site visits and roundtable meetings. Key discussions included:
- drought;
- water shed/reservoir planning and management;
- water quality;
- bio-energy programs and investment;
- labour retention and agriculture profitability;
- environmental sustainability;
- farmland preservation and legislation;
- animal identification/traceability;
- air quality;
- invasive species;
- conservation programs;
- rural development initiatives;
- cross departmental partnership in nutrition programs;
- organic certification; and
- innovative agriculture awareness initiatives.
NASDA’s Executive Director provided a summary of the current US Farm Bill discussion. USDA Secretary Johanns has suggested the President may veto the Bill because of payment limitations. A small increase in loan rates and target prices is expected. Direct payments, which are substantial, will remain in the Bill. Although there will be an increase in direct payments, counter cyclical payments will be removed. $1.6 billion US will be allocated to fruit and vegetable provisions. No budget has been allocated to the disaster title in the Bill. NASDA also provided an overview of their upcoming annual meeting September 21-26 in Seattle, Washington.
WASDA state officials expressed their overwhelming satisfaction with the 2007 Alberta-Washington hosted Cross Border Livestock Health Conference. Numerous states expressed interest in attending and joining the planning committee for the fall 2008 conference which takes place in Alberta.
The publisher of the “Great American Agriculture” magazine provided an overview of their new publication. As a member of WASDA, Alberta has been invited to contribute an article for a future edition. Early indications are that this publication is enhancing agriculture consumer awareness.
Alberta agreed to share information with key states on: Alberta’s recent funding towards Bio-Energy initiatives, Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Program, opportunities to supply hay to fire laden states (Utah), key Canadian contacts for furthering discussions on addressing invasive species and the 2008 Cross Border Livestock Health Conference.
Key US contacts will be sharing information with Alberta on the cross departmental partnership on Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy nutrition program, water reservoir planning, marketing order legislation review, and agriculture consumer awareness efforts.
Results:
- Provided an overview of the state of Alberta’s economy and the priority Alberta puts on our relationship with the US and in particular the WASDA states.
- Provided an update of the Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit taking place in January 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Provided US officials an overview of the highly successful 2007 Alberta-Washington led Cross Border Livestock Health Conference.
- Provided updates on numerous animal health files including: amendments to the bluetongue restrictions, anaplasmosis consultations, and the US and Canada’s OIE Controlled Risk Country status.
- Profiled our provincial traceability and Specified Risk Materials programs.
- Met with NASDA Executive Director and New Mexico State Department of Agriculture Secretary, Dr. Miley Gonzalez to discuss the October 2007 Alberta hosted Rural Development Working Group meeting.
- Advocated for advancing Rule 2-resumption of trade in over thirty month cattle, repeal of COL and a WTO agreement that results in substantial cuts to tariffs and to domestic and export subsidies.
- Met with NASDA’s Animal and Plant Health Coordinator and California’s Secretary of Agriculture, to discuss US state concerns with entry of invasive species into the US from Canada.
- Advanced our relationship with new state Secretaries of Agriculture.
- Discussed the opportunity to address state shortfalls of hay as a result of drought and fire.
Delegation:
Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Service Alberta and member of the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders Board
Honourable George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Food. |
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