| | Purpose of travel:
To attend and participate in the Legislative Agriculture Chairs (LAC) Summit.
Overview:
The LAC Summit brings together senior United States (US) state agriculture legislators, Canadian provincial ministers, and elected officials to discuss agriculture policy challenges and to exchange best practices. This year’s attendance of 220 participants included legislators and industry sponsors representing 40 states, one territory, and five provinces. Canadian participation at the LAC Summit included agriculture ministers or their designates from the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec. Representatives from the Alberta Beef Producers and Olds College also attended the Summit as sponsors. The Summit provides a unique opportunity to enhance our contact network and to advance our agriculture and
agri-food interests with influential US state agriculture legislators.
Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Service Alberta, attended in his role on the State Agriculture Rural Leaders (SARL) Board. The SARL board is responsible for the Summit. Minister Snelgrove was elected to the SARL Board in 2006 for a two-year term. Honourable George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Food, attended in his capacity as Minister.
Mission Objectives for SARL:
- 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 level; and
- Foster an exchange of ideas, cooperation, and coordination in agriculture and rural issues.
Alberta’s 2008 Summit objectives:
- Broaden understanding between the US and Canada;
- Enhance Alberta’s profile, and relationships with key US state decision makers;
- Advance and advocate our agriculture and agri-food interests, including:
- A continued Canadian presence on the SARL Board;
- The repeal of the Country of Origin labeling (COL) law; and
- A World Trade Organization (WTO) outcome that significantly reduces trade-distorting domestic support, makes deep cuts to all tariffs, and eliminates all forms of export subsidies.
- Collaborate with participating provinces in an effort to influence and move the Canadian agenda forward.
Pre-Summit, the Canadian delegation participated in a meeting led by Consul General George Rioux, of the Canadian Consulate General, Chicago. Consulate staff provided a briefing on Canada – US relations. Provincial participants provided an update on priorities and issues.
A presentation and tour of Monsanto’s Chesterfield Village Research Facility allowed the Alberta delegation to gain an overview of Monsanto’s biotechnology efforts. The benefits, opportunities, and impact of biotechnology to the agriculture and processing industry were discussed. The facility tour illustrated the technical aspects of biotechnology that contribute to sustainable agriculture and the future of farming. Top researchers from around the world work at the facility to achieve the vision of abundant food in a healthy environment.
The Canadian Consulate General, Chicago, in partnership with AF, hosted the Summit’s opening reception. The Canadian evening event was well attended, and provided an opportunity to discuss Canada – US priorities with attending legislators.
The agenda for the LAC Summit is a combination of keynote speakers, panels, and roundtables. Main topics included:
- Carbon trading;
- State livestock regulations;
- Specialty crops and identity preservation;
- Food safety regulations as impediments or opportunities;
- Rural renewal and revitalization;
- Reducing brain drain in rural communities;
- Tourism in rural development; and
- State and provincial roles in COL and labeling harmonization.
Jack Schultz, Author of Boomtown, USA, and Milan Wall, from the Heartland Center for Leadership Development, opened the Summit with a discussion on revitalizing rural communities.
Clayton Yeutter, former Secretary of Agriculture and US Trade Representative, provided his perspective on the US Farm Bill and the trade agenda. Mr. Yeutter stated that US net farm income increased by 20 percent in 2007. Mr. Yeutter expects no major reforms in the Farm Bill given the influence farm groups have had on the bill. Given the US Administration has a substantial number of priority issues, they may be asking conferees to back away from Farm Bill funding requested. There is a continued threat by the Administration to veto the Farm Bill.
Mr. Yeutter expressed his support of global trade and stated that the US has been the beneficiary of trade liberalization. The US has negotiated 10 Free Trade Agreements since 2000. On the Doha Round, Mr. Yeutter predicts modest market openings. The European Union (EU) remains an issue given export subsidies. He stated that the EU should decrease their subsidies and trust that the US would decrease their domestic subsidies in response. Mr. Yeutter advocated for harmonization of food safety issues that do not impede trade.
Mr. Yeutter reiterated the need to break US vulnerability on the energy front. Mr. Yeutter emphasized that US energy focus should be on nuclear or renewable fuels.
A session on state and provincial roles in COL included: Blair Coomber,
Director General, International Trade Policy Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; and Bob Garfield, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, American Frozen Food Institute. Both panel members emphasized the negative impact of COL. Mr. Garfield provided poignant examples of the unintended negative impact of COL to the US frozen food industry. Minister Groeneveld and the Alberta Beef Producers provided their positions on COL, including the impact to industry competitiveness, contraction of animals to slaughterhouses in the US resulting in plant closures, and the misconception that COL addresses consumer food safety concerns.
North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) President, provided an overview of NASDA, its priorities, programs, and partnerships.
Keynote dinner speaker, Charlie Arnot, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Food Integrity, focused on gaining and maintaining consumer confidence in food safety and quality.
A panel of energy industry experts focused on the role of traditional and alternative energy in the economic development of rural communities.
At the annual SARL meeting, Minister Snelgrove was re-elected by Summit members to the SARL Board for a final two-year term. In addition, the bylaw that regulates SARL and its membership was successfully amended to include Canadian provinces. This ensures Canadian provinces have a continued presence at the Summit, and access to key US state influencers.
Results:
- Advanced Alberta’s agriculture interests on: Rule 2 – over 30 months resumption of trade, WTO negotiations, and country of origin labelling;
- Met with numerous key agriculture legislators to advocate Alberta’s interests, dispel misinformation, and to exchange information;
- Enhanced Alberta’s network of key US contacts at the state legislative level;
- Worked collaboratively with provincial legislators and ministers to advance the Canadian agriculture agenda;
- Enhanced Alberta’s/Canada’s profile with the SARL organization by ensuring the bylaw that oversees the SARL organization was amended to include ongoing Canadian participation;
- Minister Snelgrove was re-elected by SARL members for a final two-year term to the SARL Board. This ensures continued Canadian presence, and access to the SARL membership; and
- Alberta industry’s advocacy objectives at the Summit were achieved.
Delegation:
Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board, and Minister of Service Alberta
Honourable George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Food
Michael Norris, Executive Assistant to Minister Groeneveld |
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