DOJ/USDA workshop expanded to include ‘farmer presentation’

The U.S. departments of justice and agriculture at least tentatively agree that the voices of individuals who make a direct living off the land should be featured in an upcoming joint antitrust workshop in Ankeny.

The workshop, the first in a series of national events to discuss regulatory practices and competition in the agriculture industry, originally drew the ire of rural activists when the announced slate of participants was severely lacking direct farmer and producer input. Late last week U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who was not responsible for setting the schedule, indicated that he would ask DOJ and USDA officials to include more producers in the line-up.

Whether due to Harkin’s persistence or public outcry, the agenda posted on the DOJ’s Web site has been changed to include a 45-minute presentation of the issues by farmers. Those participating as panelists in the new section are listed on the site as follows:

• Ken Fawcett, independent crop farmer, eastern Iowa
• Jim Foster, hog producer, Montgomery City, Mo.
• Pam Johnson, farmer, Floyd, Iowa
• Eric Nelson, grain and cattle farmer, Moville, Iowa
• Todd Wiley, hog producer, Walker, Iowa
• Melvin Crum, corn, soybean and cotton farmer, South Carolina (tentative)

Although these individuals do have direct links to agriculture, advocates for a pure grower voice in the day’s activities aren’t yet convinced that the federal agencies are truly making room for everyday producers and farmers to speak their mind.They contend that the choices don’t provide a true independent voice because of their third-party affiliations.

Wiley, who is co-owner and managing partner of Interstate Swine LLC, is affiliated with the National Pork Producers Council as a producer with contract growers. In other words, he is a large-scale producer who contracts with other farmers for care of his livestock. He also already has ties with the USDA since he was one of 154 pork producers nationally named by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to the 2010 National Pork Producers Delegate Body.

However, Nelson and Foster serve on the board of directors for the Organization for Competitive Markets, a Lincoln, Neb.-based public policy research organization that has been incredibly outspoken against big business dominance in the industry.

“We thank Sen. Harkin for asking DOJ/USDA to make sure more farmers and consumers are on the workshop panels, but we don’t think his recommendation goes far enough,” said David Goodner, rural community organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

The group plans to hold its own townhall meeting in Ankeny the night prior to the federal workshop to ensure that local voices are given an opportunity to speak on the issues, and has already received more than 200 advance reservations for the event.

“The way the workshop agenda is set up now is nothing more than political theater,” Goodner said. “Giving the public only one hour for comments, at the end of the day, after hours of posturing by politicians and corporate interests, is patronizing. The DOJ and USDA need to put people first by moving the public comment period to the beginning of the day and by extending the time-frame for comments from one hour to two.”

The DOJ/USDA workshop will be held Friday at Des Moines Area Community College, FFA Enrichment Center, beginning at 9 a.m. The facility is requesting that those who plan to attend pre-register using an online form to ensure that enough space is provided for the event.

The alternative townhall meeting — hosted by Iowa CCI, Food and Water Watch, the National Family Farms Coalition and Food Democracy Now — will be held Thursday at the Best Western Hotel in Ankeny. Registration can be completed by either phoning 515-282-0484 or sending an e-mail message to david@iowacci.org.