3/12/99

Contacts:
Denise Bjelland, International Agriculture Programs, (515) 294-2883
Brian Meyer, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-0706

MIDWEST'S ROLE IN GLOBAL AGRICULTURE THE TOPIC OF MEETING MARCH 18-19

AMES -- More than 300 leaders in agriculture, communities and higher education, plus representatives from 20 countries, will meet at Iowa State University March 18-19 to explore how the Midwest can take advantage of new opportunities in global agricultural markets.

The "Global Agriculture and the American Midwest: A Win-Win Exchange" conference will allow participants to exchange lessons learned from domestic and international programs related to global markets and international research and technology.

The conference, which is sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is free and open to the public. It will be linked via video to Iowa high schools and colleges.

Speakers include J. Brian Atwood, administrator of USAID, and Dean Kleckner, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin also is scheduled to speak.

Topics to be addressed include:

• How investing in helping other countries helps the U.S.
• Shifting trade patterns in Asia, Latin America and the former Soviet Union
• Today's agribusiness perspectives on the global marketplace
• Future markets in organics and environmentally friendly agriculture
• Student exchanges and internationalization of curricula
• Food aid as a development tool
• Food safety and globalization of the food system
• Biotechnology and developing countries
• Malnutritition, hunger and food distribution

For more information, contact Denise Bjelland, International Agriculture Programs, (515) 294-2883.

Editor's Note: Attached is a program agenda. USAID Administrator Brian Atwood will be available to speak with news reporters after his luncheon speech on Thursday, March 18.

GLOBAL AGRICULTURE AND THE AMERICAN MIDWEST: A WIN-WIN EXCHANGE

March 18-19, 1999 o Scheman Continuing Education Center, Iowa State University

THURSDAY, MARCH 18

8:30-9:30 Welcome: Stanley Johnson and Martin Jischke, Iowa State University; Jill Buckley, USAID; Miley Gonzalez, USDA

9:30 Helping the World, Helping Ourselves: Past, Present and Future of U.S. Agriculture and U.S. Int'l Assistance

Moderator: David Topel, Iowa State University.

Presenters: G. Edward Schuh, University of Minnesota; Chris Goldthwait, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; Per Pinstrup-Anderson, Int'l Food Policy Research Institute.

11:00-12:30 Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Session A: Global Markets

Farmer-to-Farmer Panel

Moderator: Linda Reinhardt, American Farm Bureau Women.

Presenters: Alexander Trenkov, Bulgarian Agribusiness Owner; Roger Huibregtse, ACDI/VOCA, Wisconsin; Jeff Jobe, Citizen's Network, Iowa; Bernard Conlin, Partners of Americas, Minnesota; Harry Gutknecht, Land O' Lakes, Iowa.

Session B: Mutual Benefits from Int'l Research and Technology

Hidden Harvests: How Investing in Helping Others Comes Back to Help Us

Moderator: Bruce White, National Council for Agricultural Education.

Presenters: Phil Pardey, Int'l Food Policy Research Institute; Karl Weingartner, University of Illinois; Alan Grusby, Archer Daniels Midland; Wilmot Wijeratne, Insta-Pro Int'l; Ahmed Khorshed, Egyptian Embassy

Session C: Exchanging Lessons; Learning From Each Other Theme

Applying Lessons Across Borders

Moderator: Rolf Campbell, Land O' Lakes.

Presenters: Bill Means and John Kearney, Int'l Indian Treaty Council; Dave Seehusen, Land O' Lakes; Mike Lorentz, Lorentz Meats, Inc.

12:30 Lunch--Keynote Speaker: J. Brian Atwood, Administrator, USAID

2:00-4:00 Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Session A: Global Markets

Shifting Trade: Asia, Latin America, Former Soviet Union

Moderator: Andy Fish, U. S. Senate Agriculture Committee.

Presenters: John Stoval, National Center for Food and Ag Policy; John Beghin, Iowa State University; Christian Foster, USDA/USAID.

Today's Agribusiness Perspectives on Global Marketplace

Moderator: Ed Beaman, Agribusiness Association of Iowa.

Presenters: Michael Bennett, Terra Industries; Michael Doyle, Iowa Dept. of Economic Development; Karl Arnold, Triple F Int'l.

Session B: Mutual Benefits from Int'l Research and Technology

Collaborative Research Support Programs

Moderator: Verne Newton, USAID.

Presenters: David Cummings, University of Georgia; S. K. DeDatta, Virginia Tech; Sidi Coulibaly, Institute of Rural Economics, West Africa; Dermot Coyne, University of Nebraska.

The Sorghum/Millet Case--Helping Iowa, Helping Africa

Moderator: Manjit Misra, Iowa State University.

Presenters: Tomas Crawford, Jr., University of Nebraska; Gary Peterson, Texas A&M University; Warren Cristy, Iowa farmer; Tahirou Abdoulaye, National Institute for Ag Research, Africa; Wayne Hanna, University of Georgia

Session C: Exchanging Lessons

Organics/Environmentally Friendly Ag: Markets of Future

Moderator: Cornelia Flora, Iowa State University.

Presenters: Dennis Keeney, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University; Stanely Kuehn, CLUSA Project, El Salvador; Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University.

Student Exchanges and Internationalization of Curricula

Moderator: Dennis Peterson, Iowa State University.

Presenters: John Kluge, Iowa State University; Nicholas Kasapis, Cyprus, Wartburg College student; Arthur Krimsky, Uzbekistan, Wartburg College student

4:30 Exhibits / Demonstrations at Business Walk-in Clinic

5:30 Reception

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

8:15 Remarks: Dean Kleckner, President, American Farm Bureau Federation

Rural Youth Leadership Development

Panelists: Lisa Ahrens, National FFA and Iowa State University student; Dennis Yiga, Makere University student, Uganda; Precious Hamukwala, University of Zambia student; Amanda James, World Food Prize Youth Institute; Maria Guerra Moran, Zamarano University student, Honduras

10:30-12:30 Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Session A: Global Markets

Food Aid: Development Tool--Developing Markets

Moderator: Hugh Parmer, USAID.

Presenters: John Addaquay, TechnoServe, Ghana; Mary Chambliss, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA

Food Safety and Globalization of the Food System

Moderator: Carol Meeks, Iowa State University.

Presenters: Frederick Buttel, University of Wisconsin; Judy Harrison, Food and Drug Administration; Helen Jensen, Iowa State University; Carol Wilson, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA

Session B: Mutual Benefits From Int'l Research and Technology

Biotechnology and Developing Countries

Moderator: Cathy Ives, Michigan State University.

Presenters: Terry Meyers, Pioneer/USAID Egypt partnership; Daniel Maingi, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

Bilateral, Multilateral and Corporate Perspectives

Moderator: Mike Deegan, ACDI/VOCA.

Presenters: Edgardo Moscardi, FONTAGRO (Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology, Latin America); Emmy Simmons, USAID; John Soper, Pioneer Hi-Bred Int'l

Session C: Exchanging Lessons: Learning From Each Other

Communities and the Global System

Moderator: Jerry Perkins, Des Moines Register.

Presenters: Llewellyn Hille, Self-Help Int'l; Dan Leinien, Harlan Community Schools; Ray Heincke, Iowa Sister States

Malnutrition, Hunger and Food Distribution

Moderator: Mary Ann Keefe, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

Presenters: Tim Frankenburger, CARE; Roberta Van Haeften, USDA/USAID; Jim Riker, Bread for the World

12:30 Lunch--Keynote speaker: U.S. Senator Tom Harkin

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