Mission to Tempe, Arizona - January 21 - 23, 2006

Purpose of travel:
To attend and participate in the Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit (Summit).

Overview:
The Summit brings together senior state agriculture legislators from the US to discuss policy challenges and exchange best practices. The Summit, through the Canadian Consulate Offices in Buffalo and New York, invited select Canadian provinces to participate in the Summit. With this year’s attendance of 80 legislators representing 44 states and four provinces, the Summit is the largest gathering of its kind. The Summit was attended by Ministers of Agriculture from Manitoba and Saskatchewan and MLAs from Manitoba, Quebec and Alberta. Alberta had not attended the prior three Summits. Attendance by the province at the Summit was co-sponsored by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Alberta’s attendance at the meeting was a rare opportunity to build relationships and advance our interests with key US state agriculture legislators.

Mission Objectives:
The meeting objectives were to:

· Broaden understanding between the US and Canada;
· Enhance our relationship and encourage cooperative efforts with key US legislators;
· Collaborate with participating provinces in an effort to influence and move the Canadian agenda forward; and
· Advance Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food interests.

The agenda for the Summit was a combination of keynote speakers, panels and roundtables. Main themes included: rural development, agriculture profitability, the WTO and the US Farm Bill. Presentations included discussions on: Regionalism, State Rural Development Initiatives, Renewable Energy as an Engine of Economic Development, Meeting Consumer Demand for Healthier Foods, Competing Globally, Key Factors Influencing Public Opinion on Agriculture, WTO, Trade Policy and the 2007 Farm Bill and How Rural Communities Respond to Natural Disasters.

Key points from Washington DC on the 2007 farm bill were that the growing US fiscal restraint and the WTO farm bill timing intersection will be important factors impacting the 2007 farm bill. The US finds itself in a very serious fiscal situation over the next 15 years. The agriculture budget will be competing with other government priorities. Challenges for Washington include how to reduce agriculture spending in commodity, crop insurance premiums, and other direct payment programs. Timing is the key to how the bill will look. If the WTO agreement is reached prior to farm bill legislation, the WTO agreement will impact the farm bill. If the farm bill is negotiated prior to its legislation, it is uncertain as to what the farm bill will look like. Given past agreements, it is unlikely that US international obligations will be adjusted to farm bill standards.

Meetings and discussions at the Summit and the Canadian Consulate hosted reception with US legislators provided Alberta an opportunity to advance Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food interests on: WTO negotiations, country of origin labeling, animal health protocols, resumption of trade on over thirty month cattle, our national identification system, mandatory age verification and our rural development strategy.

Results:
A significant outcome of the Summit was MLA Lloyd Snelgrove’s election by Summit participants to the newly formed organization evolving out of the Summit, the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders, Inc. (SARL). This organization is a not for profit with a Board of Directors and Officers. The objectives of SARL are to:

· Provide and promote educational opportunities that advance the interests of agriculture and rural communities;
· Educate its members on technology, policy, processes and issues that are of concern to agriculture and rural communities;
· Serve as a liaison between members/entities interested in the viability of rural communities and the profitability of agriculture;
· Strengthen leadership qualities at the state, provincial and national levels; and
· Foster an exchange of ideas, cooperation and coordination in agriculture and rural issues.

Organizers anticipate that SARL will become a complement to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and other national agriculture organizations.

This Summit provided Alberta the opportunity to enhance its relationship and advance our agriculture and agri-food interests with key US legislators. Mr. Snelgrove is indebted to the support of provincial participants at the Summit for his nomination to the SARL board. Mr. Snelgrove’s election to the board is indicative of the commitment and priority the US participants at the Summit put on Canadian representation.

Minister Horner’s efforts in enhancing and building relationships in the US agriculture sector were critical to Alberta’s nomination. This is a tremendous opportunity to continue the momentum of cooperation and collaboration with the US – our largest trading partner. MLA Lloyd Snelgrove will be undertaking an active role in representing provincial and territorial interests and working closely with US agriculture decision makers to advance our agriculture interests.

Delegation:
Lloyd Snelgrove, MLA, Vermilion-Lloydminster