Contact:	Tanya Augustson	(202) 347-0228	augustson@beef.org
	Karen Batra	(202) 347-0228	mailto:kbatra@beef.org

Washington, D.C. (November 11, 2002) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is a participating sponsor at the upcoming “National Conference on Farm Bill Conservation Opportunities,” which will take place in St. Louis from November 13 – 14, 2002.

“Have you had problems in the past with conservation programs? Are there challenges you would like to address? This is a great opportunity for producers to get together, give feedback, and speak out about the challenges of effectively implementing conservation programs,” says Iowa cattleman and NCBA President Wythe Willey.

The 2002 Farm Bill makes an unprecedented amount of funding available for conservation programs to assist livestock producers. Representatives from various producer organizations will attend the conference and share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities presented by these programs.  Jay Truitt, NCBA executive director of Legislative Affairs, will speak Wednesday morning, November 13, to the group of conference attendees on behalf of cattlemen across the country.

“We want to avoid implementation challenges and learn from past experience. In addition, cattle producers need to be informed of the new opportunities available through the 2002 Farm Bill. Some of the details can be confusing, and this platform will allow for a valuable discussion on specific aspects of the programs,” says Truitt.

The conference is hosted by the National Association of Conservation Districts and the Conservation Technology Information Center.

“If you are in the vicinity, we suggest you stop by this Wednesday or Thursday morning at the Hilton St. Louis Airport,” says Truitt.

For more information on the conference, including registration information, go to the web site of the National Association of Conservation Districts at http://www.nacdnet.org/.

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