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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Feb. 4, 2005) — Rural development, immigration and disaster relief were just a few of the topics discussed in the Agricultural Policy Committee meeting Feb. 4 during the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio.
Gil Gonzales, acting undersecretary for rural development, spoke about the changes that his department offers to the ag community. With the intentions of increasing economic opportunity and improving rural life, rural development projects offer advances in housing, business and communications. Working to provide Internet access and phone service where not currently available, Gonzales said he seeks to strengthen rural communities.
Rural development offers commercial and small business loans to address rural needs. Gonzales said he is excited by the chance to create new economic opportunities, especially in the form of value-added producer grants, which can create new market opportunities.
“Agriculture is really the foundation of commerce,” he said, and explained that rural areas provide a definite home for agriculture. He said President George W. Bush is a big fan of ownership and wants to work toward more people in rural areas owning their own homes and businesses.
Claire Folbre from the House Agriculture Committee spoke about upcoming immigration legislation and how it would affect cattlemen, while Mark Chaddock, director of government relations for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), spoke about other pieces of legislation. He discussed AVMA’s opposition to the proposed ban on the slaughter of horses, as well as its support of the National Veterinary Medical Service Act, which would address the shortage of veterinarians in certain areas.
Mike Yost, associate administrator with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), spoke about the FSA’s commitment to helping people affected by natural disasters, especially by providing a safety net for animal agriculture in order to protect the food supply. He discussed the types of benefits and assistance provided to farmers and ranchers in disaster situations, and he outlined some possible increases in assistance.
— by Brooke Byrd, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.
© Copyright 2005 Angus Productions Inc.
Editor’s Note: This article was written under contract or by staff of Angus Productions Inc. (API), which claims copyright to this article. It may not be published or distributed without the express permission of Angus Productions Inc. To request reprint permission and guidelines, contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at (816) 383-5270 or shermel@angusjournal.com.
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