Description of C-FARE Events: (2001 - 1998)

31. 2002 Farm Bill Symposium Series (2001)

In 2001 C-FARE hosted two symposiums in Washington, DC addressing the questions surrounding the 2002 Farm Bill. Both events were well attended, with participants including Congressional Staff, USDA employees, members of agricultural interest groups, and several Embassy staff. Summary documents have been written from both events and are available on C-FARE’s web site at www.cfare.org under the section for “Publications.” Topics that are highlighted include, typology, land values, risk management, structural change, and Policy implications at the May 14, 2001 Symposium. The November 5, 2001 event looked at consumer views, a predicted 20 year agriculture consumption report, market information, strategic forces, environmental issues, WTO, and a Policy summary. As a result of these events, C-FARE has had several calls requesting additional copies of the publications and also highlights drawn from the documents at events for other complementary disciplines.

32. The Economics of Biotechnology and Labeling Symposium Series (2000)

C-FARE held a two-hour briefing on “The Economics of Biotechnology and Labeling”. The briefing was a success, with about 30 Hill Staffers in attendance. Staffers represented both the majority and minority parties of the House and Senate and worked for Members from various committees. The speakers included: Sue Pitman from IFIC who discussed what consumers are saying about biotechnology, Elise Golan, from CSREES and Julie Caswell from the University of Massachusetts, looked at the Credibility of the System at Stake - Who Bears the Cost and Benefits of Labeling - Public and Private Sector Labeling, Cathryn Mattson from Best Foods looked at the Cost of Labeling to Industry. Bill Lesser from Cornell University served as the moderator and presented a summary statement. A copy of the agenda and Dr. Lesser’s statement is available on C-FARE’s website.

33. Econ Components of Food Safety Issues (1999)

C-FARE submitted a public statement on the economic components of food safety issues as they relate to listeria-induced disease at a stakeholder meeting sponsored by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Actions were identified to create or increase the economic incentives to reduce foodborne disease include:

1. Publish more information on the inspection history and pathogen levels by plant.

2. Create a consumer label for use on products that meet superior "pathogen control standards." This could be implemented by a joint industry-government body that oversees approval and enforcement.

3. Create special tax breaks for industry by investing in new food safety inventions, or adoption.

4. Increase funding of epidemiological research to discover the risks associated with various production and consumption practices and behaviors.

5. Create a mechanism for industry to have an incentive to share food safety information with researchers. This might be done through an insurance mechanism that protects industry from the costs associated with an outbreak. Plants that share auditing information and pathogen test results with researchers could participate in the insurance program at a lower cost than plants that do not share information.

6. And finally, an increase in enforcement, fines, and/or pathogen testing may increase the economic incentives to reduce the incidence of foodborne disease.

34. C-FARE’s First Congressional Briefing (1998)