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For more than a year, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials crisscrossed the country to hear Americans’ views on what the next farm bill should contain. USDA received more than 4,000 comments from a series of farm bill forums, of which one was held at Farm Science Review.

USDA determined that the topics that were discussed the most should have in-depth analysis by economists and other experts. Their findings can now be found in theme papers on the USDA Web site, www.usda.gov. So far, three analytical papers have been released since May: risk management, conservation/environment and rural development.

The theme papers, which are 30 to 40 pages long, will do a "good job of putting everything on the table for discussion, therefore rendering more prepared and thoughtful dialogue during farm bill negotiations," said American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Bob Stallman.

"Our purpose with these analysis papers is not to suggest policy but to inform and educate the public," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said after the first theme paper was released.

Farm Bureau members are encouraged to read the analytical papers and discuss them, said Adam Sharp, OFBF’s director of national affairs. The first three papers can be found on OFBF’s Web site, www.ofbf.org, by clicking on "featured links."

"The papers don’t offer all the options but they are a good starting point for discussion," Sharp said.

The USDA isn’t the only one that has been holding Farm Bill Forums nationwide. The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture recently finished a series of farm bill listening sessions with the last one July 24 in Scottsburg, Ind.

OFBF Trustee Eric Wolfer was one of eight farmers who testified about federal farm policy. Wolfer, a corn, soybean and wheat producer from Fayetteville, was the only Ohioan to testify.

House Rep. Jean Schmidt invited Wolfer to testify. He said he was able to give the perspective of farms that haven’t been around for generations. His farm’s operation has grown from 600 acres to 2,400 in the last 10 years.

Wolfer said that being an OFBF board member helped him answer committee members’ questions about specific taxes.

"Being asked by Congresswoman Schmidt to testify was a great opportunity for me to share with the decision makers what aspects of the farm bill are working for farmers here in southern Ohio," he said.

Committee members want to use the farmers’ testimony to help them form the next farm bill. Congress has said it plans to start talks on a new farm bill next year. AFBF last month called on the United States to extend the current farm bill at least one year in light of the suspension of the World Trade Organization trade talks on agriculture.