Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit

Project Summary/AbstractState Agriculture and Rural Leaders application to Food and Drug Administration_Research CFDMA93.103, FDA Scientific Conference Grant ProgramThis proposal requests support for the Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit, an annual meeting of leadingstate legislators and other related state officials that are passionate about issues related to the production offood. The long term goal is to develop state policy makers with broader knowledge of issues related to foodand health that will provide for better policy decisions and support for the efforts of the Food and DrugAdministration.The Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit began in 2002 through the efforts of a group of state legislatorsthat felt that the divide between food production and members of state legislatures was increasing. Theywere concerned by the growing disconnect shown by state officials on knowledge of issues important tofood production and health. The Summit is bi-partisan and targets legislative leadership from all politicalparties and as well as actively seeking participation from the National Legislative Black Caucus, theNational Caucus of Native American State Legislators and the National Foundation for Women Legislators.Annual attendance has included more than 90 of the 101 state and territory (Puerto Rico & U.S. VirginIslands) legislative chambers in the United States.The agenda of the Summit is broad, but focuses on many of the issues that lie within the Food and DrugAgency's responsibility. For example, just about every year since 2009, former Deputy Commissioner MikeTaylor has participated as a plenary speaker, talking to attendees about various issues. Most recently it hasbeen about the Food Safety Modernization Act and the role of state legislation and regulation in enablingthe new regulations, but we also have had sessions on animal agriculture and antibiotic usage, "local food"and "home based" food regulations, state support for scientific research, food labeling, state use of tobaccofunds, state regulation of dietary supplements, terrorist actions and our food supply, food import/exportsafety, raw milk (our attendees are overwhelmingly against its sale), bottled water, and most recently wehave begun to look at opioid and related addiction in rural communities. Topics for each Summit areselected by a large advisory board of legislators, food/industry employees and federal officials that seek tokeep legislators ahead of the curve on rising issues. The 2016 Summit agenda and speaker's list is anattachment on line 12.Regardless of the topic, speakers focus on science based dialogue, and charged to actively engage thelegislators on every topic, seek solutions to the issues and provide attendees with action items.