Commissioner Blackham Attends EPA's First Farm Advisory Committee Meeting

Utah Agriculture Commissioner Leonard Blackham participated in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) inaugural session of the new Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC) which was held in Washington, D.C., on March 13 and 14. The committee is an important part of the agency's to strengthen relations with the agriculture community and will advise the administrator on environmental policy issues impacting farms, ranches, and rural communities.

During the meeting, EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock
expressed hopes that the advisory committee will be able to bridge an understanding between the agriculture sector and the environmental sector on agricultural production issues. EPA Administrator Stephan Johnson has specifically asked the committee to initially focus on three topics: 1) climate change and renewable energy; 2) a comprehensive livestock management strategy; 3) communications strategies between environmental and agricultural interests.

Peacock said that EPA envisions agriculture as being a producer
of environmental solutions. "This committee is one of the important ways in which we can better connect with your industry and communicate with rural communities," Peacock told committee members.

Blackham was recently selected by EPA to represent NASDA and the state agriculture departments on the advisory committee from a pool of more than 200 applicants. The committee's 30 members represent farmers, ranchers, government agencies, rural suppliers, academics, processors and marketing from all over the nation. Blackham is chairman of NASDA's Natural Resources and Pesticide Management Committee. (Contact: Carissa
Wilhelm or Charlie Ingram)

Posted March 18, 2008