Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. USDA United States Department of Agriculture February 2008 Energizing Rural America the Global Marketplace in Speakers Handbook February 21-22, 2008 www.usda.gov/oce/forum Agricultural Outlook Forum 2008 United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library AdvancingAccess to Global Information for Agriculture Energizing Rurai America in the Global Marketplace Welcome Chuck Conner Deputy Secretary ofAgriculture, USDA Chuck Conner was sworn in as Deputy Secretary ofAgriculture on May 2, 2005, by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. Mr. Conner's love for agriculture goes back to his childhood, growing up on his family's farm in Benton County, Indiana. There, he worked with his father and brother raising com, soybeans, and cattle. Mr. Conner's brother, Mike, still operates the family farm. Since coming to the Department, Mr. Conner has worked tirelessly to develop and promote the Administration's farm policy. Along with former Secretary ofAgriculture Mike Johanns, Mr. Conner led farm bill listening sessions around the country, hearing first-hand from farmers and other stakeholders about their likes and dislikes with the current farm bill. He also led the Department's review ofover 4000 comments which were used to develop a sound policy direction for the future ofAmerican agriculture. Mr. Conner continues to lead the Administration's efforts for farm policy reform. Prior to his tenure at the U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Mr. Conner served on the National Economic Council beginning in November 2001 as a Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance, focusing primarily on Farm Bill issues. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Conner was President ofthe Com Refiners Association, Inc., a national trade association representing the com refining industry. Prior to his tenure with the Com Refiners Association, Conner held several staffpositions with the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Mr. Conner served as both the Majority StaffDirector (1995-1997) and the Minority StaffDirector (1987-1995), ofthe Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. He also worked as a Professional StaffMember for the Committee from 1985 to 1987. Prior tojoining the Senate Committee in Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Conner worked as an Agricultural Legislative Assistant to Senator Richard G. Lugar. Mr. Conner received a Bachelor ofScience degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 1980. He is married and has four children. 1 Ed Schafer USDA Secretary ofAgriculture, Keynote Address Ed Schafer was sworn in as the 29th Secretary ofthe U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) on January 28, 2008. Secretary Schafer brings a record as an innovative two-term governor ofNorth Dakota to USDA along with extensive private sector experience as both an entrepreneur and a business executive. Schafer served as North Dakota's governor from 1992 to 2000 and made diversifying and expanding North Dakota's economy, reducing the cost ofgovernment and advancing agriculture his top priorities in office. He worked to normalize trading relations with China and develop that nation as an export market for North Dakota farm products. He also led efforts to upgrade North Dakota's communications infrastructure and make high-speed voice and data networks available to farmers, ranchers and rural businesses. To expand the state'sjob base, he encouraged the growth ofvalue-added agricultural industries such as pasta and com sweetener manufacturing. As governor, Schafer managed a state workforce of 12,000 people, oversaw a budget of $4.6 billion, and led the state's response to emergencies such as the severe floods that hit the Grand Forks area in 1997. As chair ofthe Western Governors Association, Schafer led regional efforts to demonstrate how technology could improve the efficiency and lower the cost of delivering government services such as health benefits and food stamps. He also worked to make telemedicine more available and affordable in rural areas. Schafer was elected chair ofthe Republican Governors Association in 2000 and that same year he co-founded and co-chaired the Governors Biotechnology Partnership to increase public understanding and support for the benefits ofagricultural biotechnology. He has had a lifelong interest in conservation and helped arrange the U.S. Forest Service's May 2007 purchase ofthe 5,200 acre Elkhorn ranch in North Dakota. The site was where Theodore Roosevelt had his home and operated a cattle ranch in the 1880s. It is near the preserved town ofMedora-the state's leading tourist attraction. Born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota, Schafer graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and earned an MBA from the University of Denver in 1970. Secretary Schafer's grandfather immigrated to North Dakota from Denmark and homesteaded land in Hettinger County that he turned into a wheat and livestock farm. Schafer spent summers there while growing up. He helped his uncles with chores, 7 tinkered with engines and learned firsthand about agriculture. Before entering public life, Schafer was an executive with the Gold Seal Company in Bismarck, a successful marketer ofnationally-known consumer products such as “Mr. Bubble” bubble bath, “Glass Wax” glass cleaner and “Snowy Bleach.” The company had been founded by his father, Harold Schafer. MBA Secretary Schaferjoined Gold Seal after he earned his and held a series of management positions with the company before becoming president in 1978. Under his leadership, Gold Seal's sales climbed to $50 million through acquisitions and new product introductions and its net worth tripled. It was sold in 1986. Schafer then went on to launch several new businesses, including a commercial real estate development company, a fish farm and a classic car dealership After leaving office in 2000, he co-founded Extend America, a venture capital-backed company, to provide wireless voice and high-speed data services to commercial and residential customers in five rural Midwestern states. He also served as a director ofthe Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation that oversees the historic town's operations and became active in leading several other nonprofit and citizens advocacy groups in North Dakota. Secretary Schafer enjoys the outdoors and his hobbies include bicycling, hiking, scuba diving and restoring classic automobiles. He and his wife, Nancy, have four children; Tom Schafer, Elbe Schafer and Eric Jones and Kari Jones; and eight grandchildren. 3 Stephen Johnson Distinguished Guest Speaker Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency Agriculture Producing Environmental Solutions On May 2, 2005, Stephen L. Johnson was sworn in as the 1 1th Administrator ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As Administrator, he leads EPA’s efforts to protect human health and the environment, managing more than 17,000 Agency employees nationwide and overseeing an annual budget of$7.2 billion. Under Administrator Johnson’s leadership, the Agency has implemented a number of significant environmental programs. The United States became the first nation in the world to regulate mercury emissions from coal-fired electric utilities through the Clean Air Mercury Rule. The Administrator also implemented the Clean Air Interstate Rule, one ofthe five most health protective air quality standards in EPA history. In addition, Administrator Johnson led the nationwide effort to introduce ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which was the single greatest achievement in clean fuel since the removal oflead from gasoline. Administrator Johnson is committed to vigorously enforcing the nation’s environmental laws. In fiscal year 2006, EPA obtained commitments to reduce pollution by nearly 900 million pounds, resulting in a sustained three-year record ofpollution cuts totaling almost three billion pounds. As a scientist and 26-year veteran ofthe Agency, Administrator Johnson brings a strong scientific background and wealth ofexperience to his role as the nation’s top environmental official and head ofthe premier environmental agency in the world. Prior to becoming Administrator, he held several senior-level positions, including Acting Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Acting Deputy Administrator, and Assistant Administrator ofEPA’s Office ofPrevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. He has received numerous awards and commendations, including the Presidential Rank Award - the highest award that can be given to a civilian federal employee. Prior to his public sendee, Administrator Johnson served as the Director ofOperations at Hazelton Laboratories Corporation and Litton Bionetics, Inc. Johnson is a native ofthe Washington, D.C., area. He received a B.A. in Biology from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, an M.S. in Pathology from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and an honorary doctorate ofscience from Taylor University. He and his wife, Debbie, have three grown children, Carrie, Allison and Matthew, and five grandchildren, Carter, Luke, Kaden, Brayden, and Mekeyla. 4 Joseph Glauber USDA ChiefEconomist, 2008 Economic Outlook As ChiefEconomist at the Department ofAgriculture (USDA), Joseph Glauber is responsible for the Department's agricultural forecasts and projections and for advising the Secretary ofAgriculture on economic implications ofalternative programs, regulations, and legislative proposals. He is responsible for the Office ofthe Chief Economist, the World Agricultural Outlook Board, the Office ofRisk Assessment and Cost-Benefit analysis, the Global Change Program Office, and the Office ofEnergy Policy and New Uses. From 1992 to 2007, Dr. Glauber served as Deputy ChiefEconomist at the USDA. In 2007 he was named the Special Doha Agricultural Envoy at the office ofthe U.S. Trade Representative and continues to serve as chiefagricultural negotiator in the Doha talks. In addition to his work in the Doha negotiations, he served as economic adviser at the so- called Blair House agreements leading to the completion ofthe Uruguay Round negotiations. He is the author ofnumerous studies on crop insurance, disaster policy and U.S. farm policy. He has also served as senior staffeconomist for agriculture, natural resources and trade at the President's Council ofEconomic Advisers and as an economist at the Economic Research Service, USDA. Dr. Glauber received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1984 and holds an AB in anthropology from the University ofChicago. 5 Mark Keenum Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, USDA 2008 Foreign Trade Outlook Dr. Mark Everett Keenum was sworn in as Under Secretary on December 20, 2006. Dr. Keenum provides leadership and oversight for the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency and the Foreign Agricultural Sendee. The mission area helps to ensure the well-being ofAmerican agriculture and the American public through efficient and equitable administration ofagricultural commodity, farm loan, conservation, environmental, emergency assistance, and domestic and international food assistance programs. It provides and supports cost-effective means ofmanaging risk for agricultural producers in order to improve the economic stability of agriculture. The mission area also represents the diverse interests ofthe U.S. food and agricultural sector abroad by managing the Department's international activities, addressing market access constraints, and working to expand markets for U.S. agricultural, fish and forest products overseas. In 1989, Dr. Keenumjoined the Washington, D.C. staffofU.S. Senator Thad Cochran as Legislative Assistant for Agriculture and Natural Resources. As Senator Cochran's advisor on agricultural affairs, he worked on numerous issues important to Mississippi agriculture, including the 1990, 1996, and 2002 Farm Bills. From 1996 through 2006, he served as ChiefofStafffor Senator Cochran. In this role, Dr. Keenum was the chief advisor to the Senator on political, legislative, and appropriations issues. He was also responsible for managing the administrative and legislative functions ofSenator Cochran's Washington, D.C. office and three Mississippi state offices. After completing his Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University (MSU), Dr. Keenumjoined the MSU faculty as a Marketing MSU Specialist with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service at in 1984. After two years with the Extension Service, he accepted a position as a Research Associate with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station at MSU. In 1988, Dr. Keenum received his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from MSU and MSU joined the faculty ofthe Department ofAgricultural Economics as an Assistant Professor/Economist. During his professional tenure at MSU, his primary research and extension work focused on the marketing and economics ofaquaculture, specialty crops and forestry. From 1997 through 2006, Dr. Keenum also sewed as an Agricultural MSU Economics Adjunct Professor at and taught an annual seminar course on agricultural legislative policy. Mark and his wife Rhonda reside in Fairfax County, Virginia, and have four children. 6