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State ag officials set priorities for 2018
Story Date: 1/30/2018
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Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 1/29/18
As members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) gather in Washington, DC this week for their annual Winter Policy Conference, the organization set its top policy priorities for the coming year: passing a unified Farm Bill, successfully modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – all through the lens of advancing cooperative federalism. The DC-facing conference of more than 250 state, federal, and industry agriculture leaders underscores the importance of effective partnerships between states and the federal government.
Steven K. Reviczky, NASDA President and Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture, led the NASDA Board of Directors in establishing the association’s top policy priorities for the year.
“State departments of agriculture set the stage for good things to happen,” said Reviczky. “Today, as a unified voice, NASDA reiterated the need to pass a fully-funded 2018 Farm Bill and outlined the organization’s seven major Farm Bill priorities. In 2018, a unified Farm Bill and a modernized North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are urgent needs for communities of every size across the United States.“
Over the next two days NASDA Members will discuss and vote on a number of policy amendments and action items which include a call to action for Congress to pass an on-time, unified Farm Bill; rural broadband expansion; meaningful investments in infrastructure; and improvements to conservation programs for producers.
NASDA represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders. The 2018 Winter Policy Conference is one of two annual meetings for NASDA. For more information about this event, please click here.
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