-4 For budgetary reasons the Administration has yet to request funding for this program, despite its proven success. Recently USDA and CSA conducted regional small farm conferences around the country, and Secretary Bergland has also lanched a broad small farm policy effort within USDA which will examine methods the Department can take to improve income opportunities in this area. We believe the paraprofessional program can be an excellent complement to the Department's efforts in this area, and are hopeful that the two-year extension provided in this bill will allow USDA to initiate such an effort. Questions you may consider addressing in your testimony are these: 1. In the absence of passage of H.R. 3580, what will 2. 3. 4. The current Assistant Secretary's Working Group Is the dual reporting obligation for both a four- a. Two major problems faced by rural communities are: -5 5. 6. 7. b. dealing with the federal government In the absence of passage of H.R. 3580, How can Should the design of Title V rural development In Should the Department of Agriculture request funding What are the critical elements necessary for a viable national rural development policy? Should agricultural policy be included in the context of a national rural effort? Listed below are the organizations that support H.R. 3580 National Farmers Union National Farmers Organization National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Housing Assistance Council The National Grange American Bus Association New York State Agricultural Society Tuskegee Institute National Rural Center U.S. Catholic Conference National Governors Association National Association of Counties National Association of Regional Councils American Association of Small Cities Institute for Cultural Affairs National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges National Association of Conservation Districts Consortium for Development of the Rural Southeast U.S. Witnesses: -2 1. 2. 3. Hon. Gordon Cavanaugh, Administrator, Farmers Home Administration, Acc. by: Mr. Allan Brock, Deputy Administrator, Farm and Mr. Kenneth Latcholia, Deputy Administrator, Rural Mr. Frank Tsutras, Executive Director, Congressional Rural Mr. Kirk Miller, Amrican Farm Bureau Federation, Washington, Statements Filed: None |