KARL
Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership

NATIONAL DIRECTIONS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Monday, March 10, 2008 -- Scribe: Jay Joy

On Monday, March 10, thirty members of KARL Class IX left their Kansas homes and made their way to Kansas City International Airport - destination - Washington, DC. For the next 7 days of the National Directions seminar, we would get the opportunity to meet with our state congressional delegation, think tanks, government agencies, and even groups in opposition of U.S. agricultural practices.

All class members arrived as instructed at 11:00am. After catching up with classmates we hadn't seen for a month and getting a bite to eat at the local airport terminal deli, we filed our way through security to Gate 29 to await our Midwest Airlines plane bound for the Nations Capitol. While waiting for our plane to arrive, which we were later informed would be 25 minutes behind schedule, we ran into 2 local celebrities -- Congressman Jerry Moran, Kansas 1st District, and Sue Peterson, Special Assistant to Kansas State University President Jon Wefald -- that were on our flight to DC. Congressman Moran would turn out to be a familiar face for our group most of the time we were in DC.

After a 2 hour and 29 minute flight, we arrived at Reagan National Airport ready to get a glimpse of Washington D.C. We loaded the 30 class members and our fearless leader, Jack, onto our Martz Tour bus headed for Charlie Chang's (on recommendation from Trevor McKeeman) and a quick check into the Embassy Suites - Crystal City. Next, we again loaded onto our tour bus for a fun-filled night of sight-seeing our Nation's Monuments.

Stop 1 was in front of the U.S. Capitol Building to see the illuminated dome, as well as the statue of a man on a horse no-one seemed to know who it was. Just for fun, we all took our guess at who the figure on the horse was. Fran knew the answer - Ulysses S. Grant.

Next on our agenda was Stop 2, the World War II memorial to view the tribute to the Pacific and Atlantic theatres of the war and to search for the pillar of the monument dedicated to the 34th state of the Union, Kansas.

After a short ride from the WWII Memorial, we arrived in front of the memorial for quite possibly the greatest U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln. Also at stop 3 we had the opportunity to view the Vietnam Wall as well as the Korean War Memorial. What a humbling experience to stand in front of the Vietnam Wall and see all the names of the brave men and women that gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Stops 4 and 5 were spent at the Jefferson Monument and FDR Memorial, respectively. What men both of those great leaders were. One was a shaping force in crafting our country's government while the other exhibited tremendous courage, resolve, and leadership to unite our country prior and during World War II.

Our final destination was the Iwo Jima Memorial to honor the U.S. Marine Corps. With that, we departed for our return trip to the hotel to get some much needed rest and relaxation. We were going to need it for the schedule of events Jack had in store for us over the next 6 days!!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 -- Scribe: Josh Jennings

Tuesday morning was our first full day in Washington D.C. After meeting in the hotel lobby we headed to the D.C. metro (subway) to go to the United States Capitol building to meet with Congressman Jerry Moran. With perfect timing we met Congressman Moran outside the Capitol to get a group photo with him. After the photo Congressman Moran surprised us with a visit to the House floor. This was a great honor and a first for any KARL class. Here is where we met two of Congressman Moran’s aides; Tiffany Nichepor (Ness City, KS) and Mark Culwell (Hays, KS). They were our tour guides for the morning.

We split into two groups and probably got one of the best tours anybody could get of the Capitol. A few of the key architectural features and spaces that we saw were the Rotunda, the National Statuary Hall, the Old Supreme Court Chamber and the Crypt.

The Rotunda is the large, circular room in the center of the Capitol (on the second floor). The lower wall contain paintings and a frescoed band (upper walls) depicting significant events in American history. The Rotunda canopy contains a painting entitled The Apotheosis of Washington.

The National Statuary Hall is where the House of Representatives met from 1809 to 1857. After that Congress invited each state to contribute two statues (bronze or marble) of important and influential citizens to be on permanent display (not all are displayed here). This is where the room got its new name.

The Old Supreme Court Chamber was used by the Court from 1810 to 1860. Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated in this room in 1805 (it is amazing to stand in a room that a figure like that once stood in). The Supreme Court is no longer housed in the Capitol.

The Crypt (this not a burial location) which lies directly below the Rotunda houses sculptures and certain exhibits. This is also where the plans are for the new visitor center that is currently being constructed. Once the visitor center is complete tours like this may be rare.

At lunch we were introduced to Aaron Poplka (Chief Counsel for Congressman Jerry Moran) and Rob Wasinger (Chief of Staff for Senator Brownback). They discussed a little on their back ground and how they got where they are today.

Before lunch was over Senator Sam Brownback came to visit with the group. He talked about how exciting and busy this week was since it was “budget week” in Washington D.C. Senator Brownback talked about a few key issues (future of ethanol, environment, etc.) and then opened the floor to questions.

Breaking from lunch the group headed to Senator Pat Roberts office. Senator Roberts thought that a few of the current key issues were the Farm Bill, Energy and Environment. Senator Roberts felt that some important issues for the future will be Energy, National Security and Health Care. Some advice that he gave to the group on starting a political career was to become involved, enjoy working with people, have thick skin, and have other people believe in you. Senator Roberts ended with how important the KARL program is and how well it has done to create current and future leaders for the state of Kansas.

We ended the day with visiting with the White House Fellows. The White House Fellows program is America’s most prestigious leadership program. The program is a year long and they each work full time with different government agencies and officials. The Fellows come from various backgrounds including military, working at Walt Disney, attorneys, etc. and come from places such as California, Iowa, and Puerto Rico. Being able to speak with the Fellows was a great opportunity. We were able to listen to many different stories on how they got to where they are today, and what plans they may have for the future. They also were very interested in our backgrounds and what we are doing. This was a great ending to a fantastic day. Viewers can learn about the leadership program at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/fellows/

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 -- Scribe Stephanie Jacques

Our morning began with an early start in an effort to get to our White House tour on time. We dropped our personal affects off at the White House Fellows office and proceeded to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a glimpse into the life of our host, George W. Bush. Well at least a glimpse into his house. The White House is six stories high, two levels underground, a ground level, a state level and two floors of personal space that are not open to the public, not even to the KARL VIPs. Inside there are many paintings, photos, and historic artifacts that tell the story of our beloved United States of America.

Once a few of us finished the self guided tour a bit ahead of schedule we waited on the front driveway where we found a very friendly and knowledgeable secret service agent. He informed us that there are over 6,000 agents in the secret service and they often rotate duties. He pointed out the men patrolling the roof of the white house and the news media on roof tops across Lafayette Square.

After gathering our things and a short jaunt around the White House to get some pictures of the fabulous White House lawn and southern face, we took a moment at a local Starbucks to rest our feet and refuel our caffeine tanks. After refueling we made our way to our next exciting adventure, The Embassy of India.

Our Speaker was Anoop Mishra, Minister of Economics. The Minster spoke about the economy of India and the changes that have taken place in recent years. Currently India’s economy is the fourth largest economy on purchasing power and one of the fastest growing economies second only to China. Exports from India to the USA totaled 22.4 billion dollars last year and Imports from the USA only 10.81 billion. There are 23 official languages of India and they produce many of similar commodities to Kansas such as wheat, beef, and milk. The India agriculture industry employs 52 percent of their population with smaller farm sizes than the United States, Minister Mishra, said.

Although the number of those employed in the agriculture industry may imply otherwise, it isn’t the only major industry in India. There are over 200 call centers in the country turning over two billion dollars from a workforce of 150,000 employees. India also has the fourth largest pharmaceutical industry in the world, Mishra said. However the major boost to the economy has been from an increase in household income. “We went from a single income household to now a double income household. India Billionaires increased from 5 to 36 in the last 4 years,” Mishra said. The boost has led to people being able to do things, he said. “Domestic air travel in India is growing by 30 percent,” Mishra said.

Following Mishra’s presentation, the Embassy treated the KARL members to an authentic Indian lunch. Although some classmates are a bit nervous about the culinary options available during our international trip, the lunch proved to be a surprising treat for many. A few were even asking for recipes to use at home. On the menu were two different meat dishes, lamb dopyaga (seasoned lamb with onion), Chicken tikka masala, and several tasty side dishes; pulao (rice, peas, and carrots), okra, spinach, daal lentil (type of bean dish similar to the look of thin refried beans), and a flat bread called Naan. For dessert they served kheer (rice pudding with cardamom, cashew, and raisins) and gulaab gamun (type of cookie). To top off the afternoon, KARL classmates had the option to try Indian beer called Krait and Indian wine from Grover Vineyards. As classmates immersed themselves in Indian cuisine, they were also able to learn how to speak. Shu-Kria means thank you, crupiya – please, Aap kaise hain – how are you and mainachchi hoon – I am good.

Katie Kueser, KARL Chair, thanked the Embassy staff for their generosity and presented a token of our appreciation to Vishal Nair, third secretary, who accepted it on behalf of Minister Mishra. Classmates walked out of the Embassy of India with a different perspective on the country and a better vision of what to expect on the international trip. We proceeded to our next stop, a personal sit down meeting with Congressman Jerry Moran, Kansas 1st district. After a generous tour of the capitol building the day before, Moran took yet more time out of his day to sit down and discuss Kansas issues with KARL members. “I want to preserve the way of life that we know in Kansas,” Moran said. He briefly shared his passion for the state of Kansas and why he loves his job. “I still firmly believe that one person can make a difference,” Moran said. “I just don’t want to be on the republican team but on the Kansas team.”

During our visit with Moran, he spoke frankly and honestly about many issues that affect Kansas today. KARL classmates quickly took advantage of this rare hour and a half opportunity to ask Moran some pressing questions of concern for Kansas such as immigration, health care, education, earmarks, the farm bill and even airline service to rural Kansas. In regards to the Farm Bill, Moran stated, “Mr. Peterson wants a farm bill and passing a farm bill is to their advantage.” Moran showed a small bit of frustration with the time it takes to accomplish goals in D.C. “What motivates Washington is an election,” Moran said. He described that sometimes political leaders keep certain issues unresolved to further elections. “Immigration is an issue that stays unresolved for discussions come November.”

A call to vote ended our session with Moran but he made a point to state, “The need for people to take an active role is not in places like Kansas City but in Colby and Quinter. KARL classmates thanked him for his generous donation of time to KARL, his candid remarks and for serving his state.

Our scheduled events came to a close in the early evening giving KARL classmates the opportunity to enjoy some free time in our nation’s capital.

Thursday, March 13th, 2008 -- Scribe: Aaron Hund

KARL Class IX members spread out and “took to the streets” of Washington DC on Thursday, March 13th to meet with various lobbyist groups, think-tanks, and trade organizations at their respective office locations in the city. We split up in pre-determined groups of 4 – 5, and set out on foot for our appointments. Use of the metro-rail was quite helpful (as it was all week long) in getting us in the general vicinity for our appointments, but it was an adventure at times pinpointing the exact office number we were searching for amidst the thousands of agencies housed in many high-rise buildings. Here are summaries from the sessions:

National Corn Growers Association (Kirby Brunk – Chair)
The group was briefed about the “Center for Consumer Freedom Website”, which is designed to expose groups that are in opposition to the priorities of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and who is behind the funding of these opposition groups. This site was installed as a reactive approach to public misinformation about the corn industry. Currently, much of the information on this site relates to corn and the ethanol industry. The NCGA’s long-term strategy is to leave management of corn acres versus alternative grain/forage acres for ethanol up to the individual states. The NCGA is positioning itself to partner with other organizations and companies to disseminate information about corn and other grains/forages being used for ethanol production. Fortunately, special interest groups spreading misinformation often take an “all or nothing” approach instead of an incremental approach when attempting to influence public policy. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an example of one of these groups that uses an “all or nothing” approach. The NCGA proposes changes to the farm bill that would promote increased income protection for producers during times of low prices, in lieu of routine direct payments. Input costs, primarily nitrogen (fertilizer), are being driven upwards due to increased global demand, and obstacles affecting oil and gas exploration. The NCGA is lobbying Monsanto to increase glyphosate and atrazine production to help soften the blow of these increased costs.

Heritage Foundation (Frank Male – Chair)
The Heritage Foundation was created in 1973 at a breakfast table one morning by 5 men that were congressional staffers at the time. This think-tank organization provides brief summaries on various topics for senators and representatives. A carbon dioxide / global warming debate that developed on the hill yesterday is an example of one of these issues that the Heritage Foundation has been involved in. Bridgett Wagner with the Heritage Foundation shared information about trade and tariffs with the group. Commonly, the largest tariffs are placed on the lowest-valued products. The Heritage Foundation uses the World Wide Web to distribute much of its information. The organization employs 220 people, and has an annual budget of $42 million. None of this is funded by the government. The Heritage Foundation currently has about 300,000 members, with a membership goal of 1 million. The average member is 70 years old. Only 6 – 8% of the membership is comprised of corporations. The group is interested in helping to develop leaders on the hill. The Heritage Foundation exploded in the 1980’s, and became an important advisory group to President Reagan’s cabinet. The foundation also spent about 14 years working with the Wall Street Journal to develop the Index of Economic Freedom. The group works internationally in countries such as Africa, with other think-tanks. Free trade is an important aspect that the Heritage Foundation promotes strongly. They contend that free trade has created more domestic jobs by far than what we have lost. The Heritage Foundation says that we can all help as individuals by informing them of “regulation overkill”, so they can share with key decision makers.

Center for Food Safety (Stephen Kalb – Chair)
Susan Concannon, Katie Keuser, Aaron Hund, and Stephen Kalb met with Mark and Becky – staff members for the Center for Food Safety (CFS). Mark and Becky both serve as researchers and lobbyists for the agency. CFS is a national, non-profit membership organization working to protect human health and the environment by curbing the proliferation of harmful food production technologies, while promoting organic and alternative forms of sustainable agriculture. Mark and Becky mentioned several times during the session that they were “pro-farmer”. We met for about an hour covering topics such as labeling of food products, and animal cloning. The CFS is sincerely against companies such as Monsanto, claiming that their influence over technology has “ruined” sustainable agriculture. Overall, we found this group to be very inviting. We learned that they are extremely passionate about their viewpoints, and that it requires active organizations such as CFS to maintain a balance within our food system.

U.S. Grains Council (Joe Carpenter – Chair)
The U.S. Grains Council was founded in 1960 as a private, non-profit, corporation to develop export markets for U.S. barley, corn, grain sorghum, and related products. Today the council has nine international offices and programs in more than 50 countries. Members of the council include producer organizations and agribusinesses with the common interest of developing export markets. Membership funds trigger matching market development funds from the U.S. government, and support from cooperating groups in foreign countries to produce an annual development program of more than $26 million. In 2006, council programs generated more than $231 million in exports, and increased producer income by more than $591 million, because of higher prices due to stronger demand. The council tailors its programs to meet individual countries cultures and needs. The council educates foreign producers on how to use feed grains effectively, about the U.S. marketing system, government programs, U.S. feed grain quality, and pricing of grains.

R-CALF (Joe Carpenter – Chair)
Bill Bullard has been the CEO of this Ranchers / Cattlemen’s Action Legal Fund (R-CALF) since 2001. Mr. Bullard says that the group’s origins date back to the mid-1990’s, when a group of producers became upset that Canadian cattle were being “dumped” on the U.S. market. R-CALF was officially organized in the summer of 1999 to fill a void for producers in representing the economic, market, and trade interests of actual producers. R-CALF by-laws state that voting-members must actually own cattle. Important issues for R-CALF include fair marketing agreements, country of origin labeling (COOL), and premise identification.

CATO Institute (Scott Hesse – Chair)
Members of KARL Class IX met with representatives of the CATO Institute, a liberation think-tank. CATO emphasizes reduction of the federal bureaucracy, in favor of state government and individual liberty. CATO supports economic and social deregulation. For example, CATO scholars supports the decriminalization of marijuana. CATO scholars such as the delightful, Australian ag economist Sally James, PhD., advocate eliminating the USDA, as well as oppose the current farm bill. CATO scholars did support the Freedom to Farm bill. The CATO scholars were intellectual, honest, articulate, and brilliant. KARL members invited CATO scholars to Kansas to see how agriculture theory meets reality.

Americans for Prosperity (Jay Joy – Chair)
KARL Class IX members Mark Maris, Danielle Geesling, Wes Hobbs, and Jay Joy had the pleasure of meeting with the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) organization. Representing AFP was Annie Patnaude (Director of Media Relations), and Tim Phillips (President). AFP is a grassroots organization that advocates less government, lower taxes, and fiscal responsibility. The group receives it’s funding through charitable donations, and gifts from a network of some 25,000 individuals, businesses, and charitable foundations. The Founder and Chairman of the board of AFP is David Koch. Mr. Koch is a long-time partner in Koch Industries of Wichita, KS. AFP boasts 21 state chapters nation-wide, with KS being the “flagship”, very first chapter organized. AFP is a non-partisan organization that works to distribute and exchange information with governmental agencies, legislators, and other advocacy groups. Current AFP projects in DC include:
▪ proposing government-spending caps, based on a population plus inflation formula
▪ eliminating/reducing earmarks and other types of “pork-barrel” spending
▪ championing full repeal of the so-called “death tax”
▪ supporting significant revisions to the alternative minimum tax provisions currently in the IRS tax code
▪ informing tax payers of the presence of “tax-payer funded” lobbying
▪ improving the overall environment, to foster entrepreneurship and social growth

Friends of the Earth (Brooks Brenn – Chair)
Our group met with Lisa Matthes the Assistant to the President Brent Blackwelder. Friends of the Earth was founded by David Brower one of the Founders of the Sierra Club. This club was founded because David thought it the Sierra Club was too conservative. This is an international organization with membership in 70 countries. There are 25 staff members in Washington with another 5 in California. Some of the things Friends of the Earth is working on include a new report on nanotechnology and food safety, consumer awareness, chemicals, and cosmetics safety. They also help people displaced by mining, oil exploration, and other extractive industries. They also support clean renewable energy, but not nuclear or bio-fuels. They do not support bio-fuels because of clear cutting of forests and rainforests to make room for cropland. They get most of their funding from foundations and they do not do their own research they rely on third party information. Lastly Friends of the Earth believes in a holistic approach to solving environmental issues.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (Emily Zwahlen – Chair)
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association chief lobbyist Colin Woodall and chief economist Gregg Doud briefed our group on NCBA’s purpose and current issues facing both the beef industry and the organization. NCBA is a grassroots beef producer’s association focusing on two main aspects in the government – legislation and regulation. To do so, the organization hires a full time staff in Washington, D.C., Denver and Chicago. Currently, the staff is tracking 44 major issues, breaking down into several sub-categories and not all to do with cattle. Doud talked about some ‘hot button’ topics NCBA is currently watching, including beef trade with South Korea, the Renewable Fuels Standard, and the recent JBS acquisitions. He delivered encouraging news on South Korean trade, saying the newly elected president, to be inaugurated April 9th, will travel to Camp David April 16th with a $1.25 billion, no restriction trade agreement in hand. In fact, negotiations state the agreement must be signed and sealed before the plane will be allowed to land in Maryland. His view on the Renewable Fuels Standard is blunt – in his words, “It was the dumbest law ever passed.” Doud says the increase biofuels use must be a market-driven move. His outlook on the JBS acquisition and consolidation of beef packers was optimistic. Doud said those markets being bought wouldn’t have been available much longer due to threat of bankruptcy, so consolidation is a better option than no market at all. He predicts Tyson will also exit the beef industry in the next few years because it is failing to return profits to investors. JBS, a mostly family-held company – has enough control to hold a long-term outlook for profits in the low-margin beef market. After hitting these high points, Doud stayed to answer several questions from the group – and had a lovely dialogue with Susan about mutual acquaintances back home in Kansas. He did make two more points worth repeating; He said NCBA (and any organization wanting to make a difference in Washington) doesn’t waste time whining and complaining. It presents a problem and a solution. The second point, specifically for producers, is to know your cost of staying in business. He emphasized a producer must know the cost of raising a calf or keeping a cow to stay profitable. KARL members visiting NCBA were Susan Concannon, Aaron Dunbar, Wes Hobbs, Katie Keuser and Emily Zwahlen, led by chair Mike Froebe.

CropLife America (Stephanie Jacques – Chair)
Scott Hesse, Stephen Kalb, Jackie Lopez, and Stephanie Jacques visited with Darren Pittman and Rod Snyder from CropLife America. Mr. Pittman and Mr. Snyder explained to us that CropLife, established in 1933, represents the agriculture industry and ensures the safe and responsible use of pesticides for a safe, affordable and abundant food supply. CropLife employs lobbyists, lawyers, scientists, and regulatory and communications experts to assist the needs of its members and the industry. We spoke about the struggles that arise on Capitol Hill and the joy of working for an industry that you can relate to. The chance to visit with lobbyists that work to benefit the agriculture industry was a valuable experience especially after speaking with opposition groups like CATO and Greenpeace. We were able to pass some of what the opposition groups said on to the CropLife America representatives. It may have even given them a bit of insight to dealing with such groups.

Environmental Working Group (Aaron Dunbar – Chair)
Three members of KARL class attended a meeting with the Environmental Working Group. Their website is www.ewg.org. Those class members included Mike Spinden, Trevor Mckeeman, and Aaron Dunbar. We were able to meet with Michelle Perez who handles ag policy for the group. She informed us that EWG has a staff of about 40 with an office in D.C. and one in California and they are considering opening one in the Midwest. One thing they are credited for is the farm payment database which lists how much each farmer receives in payments. Some items they are focused on the ag side now include limiting farm payments, increasing conservation funding, and cleaning up the Mississippi River basin due to farmer pollution and runoff. We spent a lot of the session playing the role of educator and exchanging ideas with her. We found she was somewhat uninformed about commodity agriculture and practices used by Kansas farmers. We at least felt she was receptive to what we were saying and extended her an invitation to visit Kansas, hopefully she will take the opportunity as they are an influential media savvy group. This was a good lesson to learn about the importance of promoting our way of life not only to those on the hill but also to those connected in policy making.

National Feed and Grain Association (Aaron Hund – Chair)
KARL Class IX members Nathan Kells, Rob Sage, Mike Spinden, and Aaron Hund met with Kendell Keith, President of the National Feed and Grain Association (NFGA). The NFGA houses its Washington, DC offices with the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA), considering the strong strategic alliance that these two groups have to benefit the industry. The NFGA is comprised of approximately 900 member companies and organizations. Around 750 of these groups focus on things like grain processing, feed processing, integration, and feed and/or grain handling in general. The other 150 members are termed “support service” members. These members are typically railroad, and warehousing groups. A good number of the member groups are very active and vested in the biofuels industry. The company VeraSun Energy is an example of one of these active participants in renewable energy sources. Kendell commented that the association feels that there is a huge need for the World Trade Organization (WTO), as one of its priorities is to help maximize the supply response to match a given pricing index. One idea for new legislation that we discussed would be to put some mechanics in place for producers and buyers to share risk on the futures markets. Cash-pricing to producers could be based upon the level of risk that the producer is willing to accept in partnership with the elevator/buyer. We also engaged in discussions about rail transportation. The NFGA spends much of its time working on policy that affects bulk commodity rail transportation. Kendell listed Farm Bureau, Corn Growers Association, and oilseed associations, as examples of other agricultural transportation working groups. He mentioned that Union Pacific Railroad rates for agricultural commodities are up about 31% + fuel surcharges in the past 12 months alone. Burlington Northern Santa Fe is up about 13% on rates. The NFGA is also focusing on bio-tech policies related to international shipments. A group that they are actively involved with is called the International Grain and Trade Coalition. The NGFA has been having some recent trouble with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding regulations that apply to temporary grain storage facilities (called the Lamar Aeration System). The National Sorghum Producers association is presently proposing a 3 cents per bushel check-off program to help fund research and development. Kendell spends a great deal of his time working with 15 different NFGA board committees that operate on a continual basis between board meetings. The NFGA’s annual budget of about $2 million is funded 2 ways – 80% from member dues, and 20% from investments and attendee fees for meetings and conferences. The largest member companies pay about $48,000 each per year. This is based on their level of trade volume.

Friday, March 14, 2008 -- Scribe: Wesley Hobbs

Friday started with our normal buffet breakfast, we were then led out the front doors of the Embassy Suites by our leader for the day, Frank Male. We continued on to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where we met with several speakers. Our first topic of the morning was Bio Security. Justin Huff, Special Assistant to the Homeland Security Office briefed the class on his chief role in Agri-Terrorrism. A few of their responsibilities are the protection of food, emergency response, and to coordinate distribution of food as they did for Hurricane Katrina. They also work with Veterinarians and Ag Research Labs to insure safety of food in US Agriculture. One of Mr. Huff’s concerns was the lack of large animal Veterinarians. He also stated that awareness and warnings continue daily, and that is why it is their job to always stay one step ahead. For more information on Bio Security issues you can check out their website at eden.lsu.edu.

Our next segment was on Free Trade and WTO, presented by Bob Riemenschneider, the Deputy Administrator, for the Office of Negotiations & Agreements. Mr. Riemenschneider spoke on trade policy, trade programs and the trade network around the world. Currently there are 1800 tariff lines and no Trade Promotion Authority. Only congress has the power to change tariffs. We have 14 free trade agreements in effect and 3 are pending. Columbia, Panama, and Korea are waiting for finalization. Korea currently has 49 million consumers. Currently, Canada and Mexico are our number one and number two trading partners and China is a close three. Other key players making big moves are India and Brazil.

The class was then introduced to the USDA Chief of Staff, and fellow Kansan, Dale Moore. Mr. Moore gave us a brief history on current and past Farm Bill’s. He said the current Farm Bill was extended until April 18, and that tax issues and reform must be addressed on the new bill before it will be passed. The USDA has some impact on the Farm Bill, but their main job is implementation. Other topics discussed were Energy issues, high corn prices and alternative ethanol making products. Mr. Moore also stated that he believes the greatest innovation that changed the Agriculture industry was the Freedom to Farm Act.

The final speaker for the morning was Dr. Roger Conway, Chief Economist for the Office of Energy, Policy & New Uses. Dr. Conway briefly touched on Renewable Fuel Standards, MTBE, and new specifications for cellulosic and corn ethanol plants. He also stated that we need to do a lot more education on ethanol and Bio Energy.

The class then began to endure hunger pains, so we made our way to the cafeteria. The buffet line seemed never ending with a tremendous variety of food. The class was very appreciative to Farmer Mac for sponsoring this wonderful meal and to the USDA staff for the great hospitality.

Following lunch we had a presentation from Mary Maloney and Mary Waters with Farmer Mac. Farmer Mac was chartered by Congress in response to the farm crisis in the 1980’s. It is a secondary market that works as a bridge between Wall Street and Main Street. They work with lenders in the Ag sector and have several programs that can help with Agribusiness, Ethanol facilities, farm real estate and even farm equipment.

We then departed the USDA and made our way over to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Linda Johnson gave some background on AFBF, stating that it is a grassroots organization, established in 1919, driven by farmers. AFBF is the 17th most influential group in Washington, DC out of over 5000 groups. We were also shown some techniques that are most effective when communicating with our constituents. The best ways are by telling your story and using personal quality. Form letters are one of the worst ways to send your message.

Kelli Ludlum, a fellow Kansan, also addressed the class on her responsibilities with Farm Bureau. She is one of 18 lobbyists that work for AFBF and her main areas of expertise are animal welfare and food safety. Before leaving we were left with this quote. “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate”. –Thomas Jefferson-

The class then returned to the Embassy Suites so that we could prepare for the evening festivities. Friday evening a few members of the class went to a Brazilian Steakhouse. The majority of the class took a generous stroll to the Fish Market. There we enjoyed great seafood, great fellowship and partook in the “special sponsorship” provided by KARL Class VII graduate, Clark Boyer. Mr. Boyer, your generosity was much appreciated.

Saturday, March 15, 2008 – Scribe: Wm Scott Hesse

On Saturday, March 15, 2008 KARL Class IX took Washington, DC by storm. The day began with a trip to Arlington National Cemetery where the group watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The sobering experience showed how many before us have made the ultimate sacrifice for liberty.

After seeing the moving experience provided by the Honor Guard, many members stayed to view Robert E. Lee’s home on the grounds; the John F. Kennedy Memorial; as well as other points of interest including Joe Louis’ grave and Lee Marvin’s marker. On the other hand, other members of the group broke away to tour the nation’s capital. Some members went to the Halocaust Museum. Other members went to the International Spy Museum. Still other members went to the Smithsonian Institution.

A new addition to the Smithsonian Museums is the National Portrait Gallery which opened in 2006 after KARL Class VIII visited Washington. The National Portrait Gallery houses many portraits of great Americans as well as great works of art which are easily recognizable. The museum’s latest addition includes Stephen Colbert’s portrait which is on loan from the Colbert Report until April Fool’s Day, 2008. Colbert’s portrait is located between the Men’s and Women’s Rest Rooms on the Second Floor. The inclusion of the Colbert Portrait shows that great art can also be great fun.

In the evening the class got all gussied up and went to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for dinner and a concert. Members were given the choice of Spam or chicken for dinner. After dinner the National Symphony performed several of Rachmaninoff and Prokoviev’s greatest hits. While the musical tastes of the class trended more to “Roll over Beethoven” than to Beethoven, the abilities of the pickers and fiddlers on stage were generally recognized for their abilities and we could not help but to be moved by the power of the performance. KARL put the culture in agriculture with the trip to the Kennedy Center.

Upon rising Sunday morning, the class transferred to Washington Reagan National Airport, completed evaluations of the seminar, and relaxed on the flight home, reflecting on the experiences of their week together. Next stop…Home!

You can view the YouTube presentation of highlight photos and quotes from the National Directions Seminar at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Ea_bYaIKA

"With Leadership Comes Responsibility"