[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 44757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18255]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


USDA Policy Advisory Committee on Farmland; Public Forums

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Forest 
Service.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: Maintaining Agriculture and Forestry in Rapidly Growing Areas 
Listening Forums hosted by members of the USDA Policy Advisory 
Committee on Farmland Protection. The USDA Policy Advisory Committee on 
Farm and Forest Lands Protection is holding listening forums this 
summer to solicit policy feedback and anecdotal information on what 
works and what doesn't from a community's perspective in working with 
federal tools designed to maintain land as farmland and forest land. 
The input received from these forums will be synthesized into a report 
that USDA will issue on this subject later this year.
    Specifically, the forums will ask for public comment on the 
following questions:
    1. What are the economic, environmental and social benefits of 
farms and forested lands for communities, especially those in rapidly 
growing regions?
    2. What are the challenges that communities and individuals face in 
trying to maintain farms and forested lands, especially in rapidly 
growing areas?
    3. What sorts of opportunities exist to capitalize on market 
opportunities (e.g., direct marketing and agri-tourism) to encourage 
maintenance of farmland and forestland?
    4. What role could the federal government play to better support 
farmers and forest operators in taking advantage of these 
opportunities?

DATES: The first forum will convene on Thursday morning, July 13 at the 
Dekalb County Farm Bureau Center for Agriculture, 1350 West Prairie 
Drive, Sycamore, Illinois 60178. The second forum is scheduled for 
Friday, July 21, 2000, beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 12 
p.m., at the University of California, Davis, Alumni and Visitors 
Center, in Room AGR, located on Old Davis Road and Mark Hall Drive, 
Davis, California. The third forum will be held on Monday, July 31, 
2000, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., at the Yale Street Landing, 1001 
Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98109. The fourth forum will 
take place on Wednesday, August 9, 2000, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. at 
the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 53 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown, New 
Jersey 07962-1295. An additional meeting will be scheduled for Atlanta, 
Georgia in early August.

ADDRESSES:  Are included in the above information under DATES.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Notice of these forums is given under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. Additional information 
about the USDA Policy Advisory Committee, including any revised agendas 
for the forums may appear after this Federal Register Notice is 
published, may be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.usda.gov.

Draft Agenda for the Forums

    A. Opening remarks.
    B. Panel presentations.
    C. Public participation: oral statements, questions and answer 
period.
    D. Closing remarks.

Procedural

    The forums are open to the general public. Members of the general 
public will have an opportunity to present their ideas and opinions 
during each forum. Persons wishing to make oral statements must pre-
register by contacting Ms. Mary Lou Flores at (202) 720-4525. Those who 
wish to submit written statements can do so by submitting 25 copies of 
their statements on or before July 17, 2000, for the UC Davis, CA 
forum, July 26, 2000, for the Seattle, WA forum, and August 4, 2000, 
for the Morristown, NJ forum. Please send them to Ms. Stacie Kornegay, 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 
20013, Room 6013. The written form of the oral statements must not 
exceed 5 pages in 12 point pitch. At each forum, reasonable provisions 
will be made for oral presentations of no more than three minutes each 
in duration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:  Requests for special accommodations due to 
disability, questions or comments should be directed to Rosann Durrah, 
Designated Federal Official, telephone (202) 720-4072, fax (202) 690-
0639, email [email protected].

    Dated: July 13, 2000.
James R. Lyons,
Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, USDA.
[FR Doc. 00-18255 Filed 7-14-00; 4:23 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-M