AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by:
and

There are a lot of agricultural policy concerns today and the Farm Foundation is taking an active role in helping DC adopt better legislation. The organization notes that agriculture is important and ag policy is important, and their role is to bring divergent views together and provide a forum for discussion. During these discussions, The Farm Foundation lets the best policies arise and then provides the outlet for policy makers to take advantage of these ideas. However, the organization does not lobby, but simply provides the best information for policy makers to use.

I asked Sheldon Jones what key issues they have been dealing with and he mentioned two: food prices and the agriculture’s role in feeding and fueling the world.

“A year ago when food prices were increasing and there were food riots around the world, we commissioned a study from three economists at Purdue on what are the real drivers to food prices. They reviewed literature, assessed the global demand for food and what were the driving factors including fuel, petroleum prices, world stocks, supplies of grain and more.”

The organization issued a report last July which they updated six months later, “What’s Driving Food Prices? and have also issued a report on global food and fuel demand, “The 30 -Year Challenge: Agriculture’s Strategic Role In Feeding and Fueling a Growing World“.

You can see all our pictures in the IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album.

You can listen to my full interview with Sheldon here.