62nd Annual Meeting
of the Southern Legislative Conference
Oklahoma City | July 11-15, 2008


Agriculture & Rural Development Committee

Agriculture & Rural Development Committee

Preliminary Program Agenda

Saturday
July 12 		Sunday
July 13		 Monday
July 14
Business Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Rural Housing: Improving Access and Affordability
Housing in rural America often is limited, unaffordable, or in poor condition.  Improving the affordability of and access to housing for rural residents is a key factor in promoting healthy rural communities.
Joe Belden, Executive Director, Housing Assistance Council, Washington, DC

Ag Education
After nearly disappearing from high schools in the 1980s, ag education is back in a big way, with more programs, more students, and some growing pains.
James Woodard, Director, Career, Technical & Agricultural Education, Georgia Department of Education (invited)

Technical Colleges and Rural Prosperity
Rural Technical and Community Colleges play a vital role in promoting the prosperity of the communities they serve.  As the economy has changed, these institutions often have proven to be adaptable, flexible, and responsive to new conditions.
• Randy Smith, Ph. D., Vice President for Academic Affairs, Western Oklahoma College; President, Rural Community College Alliance
• Roger Stacy, Ph. D., President, Northern Oklahoma College

Program Session
Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Commodity Markets in Turmoil
Commodity markets have been on a rollercoaster for the past year, with prices for most grains rising steadily and many producers and grain merchants dealing with increasing uncertainty. This session explores the impacts and some of the causes behind the turmoil.
• Bailey Ragan, Vice President and General Manager, Grain Division, Bunge North AmericaVice President, Grain Division, Bunge
• Kim Anderson, Ph. D., Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University

The 2007 2008 Farm Bill
After one of the most drawn out debates in recent farm policy history, Congress passed the 2008 Farm Bill over the president’s veto in April.  Find out what’s changed, and what remains, in the new federal farm policy.
Larry Sanders, Ph.D., Professor & Extension Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University

 Technical Tour
11:30 a.m. -
4:00 p.m.

Shawnee Milling and Remington Park

The Committee will begin with a visit to Shawnee Milling, one of the leading independent mills in the United States, producing more than 2 million pounds of consumer and food service products and a wide variety of quality animal feed products every day.  Also on the tour is a stop at Remington Park to highlight Oklahoma’s strong equine heritage.

Southern Legislative Conference

Southern Office of The Council of State Governments
phone: (404) 633-1866 | fax: (404) 633-4896 | email: slc@csg.org
P.O. Box 98129, Atlanta, Georgia 30359