The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will host a webinar about the new farm bill currently being debated in Congress.
The webinar, “Will It Be a 2017 or 2018 Farm Bill?” will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. It is free, but registration is required. Participants can connect to the internet webinar on a computer, iPad or smartphone, or dial in to listen by phone.
The registration link is http://bit.ly/farm-bill-18 and participants will receive the login link and dial-in phone number when they register.
The webinar will be hosted by Bobby Coats, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness and produced by Mary Poling, coordinator for interactive communications, both for for the division’s Cooperative Extension Service.
The featured presenter will be Mary Kay Thatcher, senior director of Congressional affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Thatcher will review the status of ongoing discussions about the upcoming farm bill and will offer “inside the Beltway” insight into what is likely to be debated. She will also discuss interaction between the Trump administration and Congress concerning budget negotiations related to the farm bill.
Thatcher has worked as a lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation for 30 years. Currently, as senior director of Congressional relations, she lobbies primarily on issues covering farm programs, crop insurance, conservation and credit.
In recent years she has also spearheaded AFBF’s participation on the topic of farm data, security and privacy. She serves as president of the Ag Data Transparency Evaluator, a tool developed by Ag Tech Providers and farm and commodity groups to help farmers understand the contracts they sign to share their farm data.
Thatcher was an appointee in President George H.W. Bush’s administration as the director of congressional and public affairs of the Farm Credit Administration. She was responsible for the policy direction and management of the agency’s congressional and public affairs activities.
She is a fifth generation Iowa farmer and grew up on a 500-acre Iowa beef, hay and corn farm. She now manages a farm in Iowa producing corn and soybeans and has a cow/calf operation.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without discrimination. If participants require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact a county extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
— Fred Miller is with the U of A System Division of Agriculture.