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Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns pledged he will be "actively engaged" in discussions leading up to the next farm bill, during a luncheon address to county Farm Bureau presidents at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 87th annual meeting in Nashville.

Johanns said he personally conducted 22 of 52 U.S. Department of Agriculture farm bill forums with farmers and ranchers around the country last year, and he plans to attend additional listening sessions this year.

The country’s top agriculture official said these forums provide him with an excellent opportunity to hear what is on the minds of U.S. producers. High energy prices, particularly as they affect fertilizer costs, are of great concern nationwide, he said.

While it is not surprising energy costs are a critical issue in farm country, Johanns said the sessions also have alerted him to a shift in attitudes and building momentum among farmers regarding changing government programs. He said farmers and ranchers increasingly understand the need to be flexible and are willing to accept new ideas. At a news conference, Johanns applauded Farm Bureau for its "Making American Agriculture Productive and Profitable" report, which took a look at where agriculture should be in 15 years. He called the report a "good piece of work, worth taking a look at" and said he would be sharing copies of the report at USDA. (Read more about the MAAPP report on page 2.)

Regarding the trade environment, Johanns told the presidents he is confident American farmers and ranchers can "outshine the competition" if they are allowed to compete on a level playing field with farmers in other countries.

Johanns said increased market access is the key to successful foreign trade. "We will continue to press our partners to match our ambition for increased market access," Johanns said. He cautioned that the hardest work is still ahead for U.S. negotiators on this matter.

Responding to questions at the news conference, Johanns said that while he would like to maintain current farm programs, mounting federal deficits "aren’t good for agriculture." He said the administration "is going to continue to preach restraint" regarding federal spending. He said President Bush has indicated he would like to cut the deficit in half over the next four years.

Johanns said USDA plans to publish the information gleaned from the Farm Bill listening sessions by the end of March, in preparation for the upcoming farm bill debate.