WASHINGTON, October 1, 2008 - USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) today said it will hold three Town Hall meetings on implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill where members of the public can provide comments and recommendations related to the swine and poultry industries.

GIPSA will use comments and recommendations gathered at these meetings to write the regulations needed to implement sections 11005 and 11006 of the 2008 Farm Bill. Attendees should be prepared to discuss the specific provisions, the problems Congress means to address through the Farm Bill, and possible regulatory solutions that would correct those problems. Attendees are requested to discuss potential benefits and costs of their recommendations as well.

The meetings will be in Arkansas, Iowa, and Georgia, and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. each day. Dates and locations are:

Oct. 14, 2008

Crawford County Cooperative Extension Office,

105 Pointer Trail West

Van Buren, Arkansas 72956

Oct. 16, 2008

Iowa State University Scheman Building,

Room 275

1810 Lincoln Way

Ames, Iowa 50010

Oct. 22, 2008

Hall County FSA Building

734 East Crescent Drive

Gainesville, Georgia 30501

If you are unable to attend one of these meetings, you can comment via an audio bridge by calling 877-950-5739; the participant pass code is 6969173#. During the meeting, you can send questions or comments to Jeana.M.Harbison@usda.gov.

If you are hearing or visually impaired, or have a condition that requires special assistance, please notify Ms. Harbison by Oct. 9. Ms. Harbison's contact information is: Jeana Harbison, Legal Specialist, Policy and Litigation Division, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3646; e-mail Jeana.M.Harbison@usda.gov; phone (202)720-7363; or fax (202)690-3207.

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GIPSA Release #17-08

Catherine M. Grasso 202-720-7201