[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 145 (Thursday, July 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 46146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18948]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Forest Service


Notice of Meetings

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 does not work 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 two forums were held July 13, 2000, in Sycamore, 
Illinois and July 21, 2000 in Davis, California. The third forum will 
be July 31, 2000, in Seattle, Washington at Yale Street Landing, 1001 
Fairview Avenue North, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The fourth forum will be 
August 7, 2000, at the Crown Plaza Atlanta Airport Hotel, 1325 Virginia 
Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia form 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The last forum will be 
held in Morristown, New Jersey, on August 9, 2000, from 9 a.m. to 12 
p.m. It will be held at 53 East Hanover Avenue, at the Frelinghuysen 
Arboretum Auditorium. Three informational gathering sessions are being 
considered.

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 future forums that 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 should 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 two days prior to the forum. Please send them to Ms. 
Stacie Kornegay, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box 2890, 
Washington, D.C. 20013, Room 6013-S. The written form of the oral 
statements must not exceed five pages in 12-point pitch. At each forum, 
reasonable provisions will be made for oral presentations of no more 
than 3 minutes each in duration.

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

    Signed at Washington, D.C. on July 21, 2000.
Anne Keys,
Deputy Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, USDA.
[FR Doc. 00-18948 Filed 7-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P