These days it seems like everyone has a lobbyist in our National and State Capitols, and everyone has their own communications team pumping out information on the issues of the day. Most of the time there is no way to tell which side of an issue is right or who is telling the truth.

This is especially true for American agriculture. Debates are currently underway concerning CAFTA, COOL, the Canadian Border, and BSE testing. Discussions are also soon to begin over the 2006 Farm bill. There is so much information out there on each of these issues that many people do not know what position to take on them.

This fact is exactly why OCM is seeking active members that would like to reach out and begin holding local educational Meetups. OCM would like to hold these meetings in every state that the organization is active. They are to be held in living rooms, local meeting halls, community centers, etc. In order to facilitate this education of those interested in agriculture policy OCM has access to a long list of national agricultural policy experts, which would be able to make presentations at these local meetings via speaker phone on such issues ranging from market concentration to International Trade.

Power point presentations and Talking points will be available on the OCM website in order to add to the educational impact of these meetings. We expect the meetings to be small early on with a goal of 20 people for the first meeting in each state.

If we want to see long term success in our fight to reclaim the agricultural marketplace for farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans it is time for us to be proactive rather than reactive. This long term success begins with education, and education begins with friends telling friends what they believe.

As members of OCM you have an opportunity to do just that. OCM is also establishing a State Chair position in every state that OCM has active members. The State Chair would be in charge of Local Meetup organization as well as membership recruitment. The State Chair could also be involved in message development by keeping OCM informed on how to frame information in order to make it relevant to his/her State. Anyone that is interested in helping to organize a Local Meetup or in becoming a OCM State Chair please
contact me at (405) 216-3090 or jonathon@competitivemarkets.com.

Experts available for call-ins to OCM Local Meetups Include:

• Michael Stumo - Antitrust Attorney and OCM Legal Counsel. Qualified to present on: Captive supply, concentration, trade, farm policy, U.S. Farm Bills, International Trade Policy, and government regulation and enforcement of competition rules.
• Dr. C. Robert Taylor - Agricultural Economist and OCM Economics Fellow. Prepared to present on: Market Power, Regulation and Free Markets, Livestock Industry Structure and Pricing, International trade and concentration, Poultry Industry Structure and Income, Price Spreads: Wholesale and Retail, captive supply, Economic Theory, and Country of Origin Labeling.
• Dr. Daniel De La Torre Ugarte - Agricultural Economist and OCM Trade Fellow. Qualified to present on: Trade Policy, CAFTA, Farm Policy/Price effects, Bio-energy Policy, Industry structure in corn, soybean and wheat production and processing
• Roger McEowen - Agricultural Law and Economics Professor. Presents on: Agricultural Law, COOL, GMO Law and Policy, Anti-Trust Law, General Farm Policy, Judicial Nominees. JC