The 1995 Farm Bill debates will be challenging and complex. There are numerous discussions underway where groups and individuals are working to develop and promote policy tools that will support sustainable agriculture practices.
Some groups focus on addressing conservation and environmental concerns.
Some address rural community development. The challenge, in the end, will be to develop a Farm Bill that effectively addresses all of these issues, while continuing to address trade issues, market stabilization goals, and the economic needs of producers. It will not be easy to craft a Farm Bill that encompasses policies that address these goals without inadvertently creating policy mechanisms that conflict or contradict each other. Because CAST is an association of professional and scientific societies that address agricultural and related issues, it is appropriate that the conference focus on the research and education aspects of these issues. The conference will begin with a review of the legislation introduced in the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills to address sustainability issues.