Preliminary Agenda

Friday January 15^th

7:00 am

Buffet Breakfast

8:30

Travel to AgConnect Expo

12:00 pm

AgConnect Lunch with:

MLA Lloyd Snelgrove, Alberta FInance Minister, Moderator
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack  
Canadian Minister Gerry Ritz, Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board  

1:30

Tour of Deseret Ranch, largest cow-calf operation in the U.S. (300,000 acres) and their 1700 acre citrus facility. 

5:00 pm

Summit Opening Event
Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Private Backstage Tour and Dinner
Friday dinner and circus sponsored by Feld Entertainment

Saturday, January 16

7:45 am

8:00

Moderator - Gene Gregory, United Egg Producers
Dr. Luther Tweeton, Ohio State University
Legislator Panel
    Michigan Senator Ron Jelinek
     Ohio Representative Allan Sayre
Patrick Field, Consensus Building Institute

9:45

IA—What Can a Rural Caucus do?
    Indiana Senator Jean Leising, moderator
Legislator Panel
        Georgia Representative Terry England
          Maryland Senator Mac Middleton
           Louisiana Senator Francis Thompson
           Texas Representative Warren Chisum

IB—The Role of States and Feds in Invasive Species Control
Nebraska Senator Tom Carlson, Moderator
Steve Pecot, Larson & McGowin, Inc.
Bill Dickerson, USDA-APHIS, Associate Director 

IC—More on dealing with activists and building consensus 
Moderator- Ken Klippen, Sparboe Farms   
Patrick Field,  Consensus Building Institute

ID—The Future of Water Demand and Supply
Carolyn Brittin, Texas Water Devlopment Board
Kansas Senator Carolyn McGinn

11:00

Rural Development
David Beurle, Innovative Leadership Australia

noon

Lunch
Kim Huston, Author of Smalltown Sexy

1:15 pm

2:30

IIA—Sustaining a Strong Livestock Sector
Kentucky Representative Tom McKee, Moderator
Dennis Hall, PA Department of Agriculture
Dr. Dave Hope, University of Guelph 

IIB—Addressing Declining Population pf Rural Communities
Arkansas Senator Jim Luker, Moderator
Dr. Mike Woods, Oklahoma State University
Bill Bishop, Daily Yonder
 

IIC—Endangered Species
Donald Brady, U.S. E.P. A. Environmental Fate and Effects Division
Bernalyn McGaughey, Compliance Services International

IID—Agriculture and Ag Lending Outlook 
Elizabeth Hund, Food and Agriculture Division, U.S. Bank
Jason Henderson, KC Federal Reserve

3:45

States Role and Response to Rulings on Indirect Land Use, Clean Water and Clean Air Regulations
SARL Past President Doug Jones, Moderator
Jack Peterson, Arizona Department of Agriculture
Gary Baise, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC

4:30

IIIA—Bridging the Urban Rural Gap
Moderator - Representative Dan Reitz, Illinois
John Molinaro, the Aspen Institute  
Jason Gray, North Carolina Rural Center  
Senator Hillman Frazier, Mississippi

IIIB—Renewable Energy and Rural Development
Dr. Bill Batchelor, Mississippi State University
Kil Huh, Pew  Foundation
Tom Buis, Growth Energy

IIIC—Ag Sustainability
North Dakota Senator Terry Wanzek, Moderator
Sarah Alexander,  Keystone Alliance
Michael Reuter,  The Nature Conservancy (invited)

IIID Farm Ownership, Succession and Property Rights
South Dakota Senator Larry Rhoden, Moderator
Harrison Pittman, University of Arkansas  

6:30

7:00

Dinner
USDA Rural Development Secretary Dallas Tonsager
Successful Ag and Rural Legislation Awards
Officer and Board Nominations

9:00

Hospitality Suite
THE FUTURES GAME – creating your preferred regional future
Hospitlaity Suite Sponsored by Agrifood Canada and the Canadian Consulate

Sunday, January 17

8:00 am

9:00

New Federal Regulations and the Role of States in Food Safety
South Dakota Representative Tom Deadrick, Moderator
Dr. Mike Doyle, Georgia
Mike Taylor, FDA

10:30

Fed Update
SARL President David Johnson, Moderator
Anne Hazlett, Chief Legal Counnking Member, Senate Ag Committee
The Honorable Charlie Stenholm, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC
Lynn Tjeerdsma, USDA

noon