Policy conference to explore ag concentration

"Concentration in agriculture: How much, how serious, and why worry?" is the timely topic of a February 4 Leopold Center policy conference at the Scheman Building located at the Iowa State Center.

"Consumers, farmers, local businesses and rural communities all have a large stake in the outcome of the present rush toward a global food system operated by a few huge companies," said Mike Duffy, conference organizer and the Center's associate director.

Speakers will address the problems and opportunities springing from industrial concentration in agriculture:

• Current level of concentration in production, processing and retailing: Mary Hendrickson, University of Missouri:
• Economic impacts of continuing the current course: Neil Harl, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, Iowa State University;
• Anti-trust action history and current situation: Doug Ross, special counsel for agriculture, antitrust division, U.S. Department of Justice;
• Federal and state policy options: Federal and state: Doug O'Brien, counsel for Senate Committee on Agriculture;
• Farmer responses: Collective bargaining, new generation cooperatives, value-added agriculture: Richard Levins, professor of applied economics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Registration fees, which include food and educational materials, are $25 before January 24, and $30 on or after January 24. To register, contact Terrie Hunter at the Scheman Center, (515) 294-5961, or on-line: www.ucs.iastate.edu/online.htm.

Back to Winter 2002 Leopold Letter