
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, November 27, 1993                   TAG: 9311270107
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FARM BUREAU CONVENTION TO OPEN

Food safety and the closing of Department of Agriculture field offices will be discussed by former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Madigan when he joins the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation for its annual convention in Roanoke on Monday.

Wednesday, Gov.-elect George Allen is to speak to the state's farmers about environmental regulations and land-use taxation.

The latter topic - which allows localities to tax agricultural land at rates lower than its market value - is likely to be a major topic of discussion.

Allen, a member of the Albemarle County Farm Bureau, owns 100 acres of timber that are taxed under land-use rates.

Madigan, a former Illinois congressman who was agriculture secretary under President Bush, is scheduled to talk about microbiological inspection and other new methods of ensuring a safe food supply.

During his tenure at the USDA, Madigan proposed closing 1,200 of the least-efficient department field offices to save money.

The Clinton administration is still considering closing those offices. Madigan, who now manages the State Farm Insurance Co. office in Washington, will discuss what he thinks the results will be.

Madigan's talk is scheduled at noon. The convention runs from 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday morning. Allen's address is to follow a banquet Wednesday evening.

Also Wednesday, the delegates will debate the Farm Bureau's legislative agenda for the 1994 General Assembly session.

Among the issues under consideration will be highway funding, land-use assessment real estate taxes and the protection of private property rights.

Monday afternoon's session covers a number of commodity topics, including the state farmers' market network, growing vegetables as a "companion crop" and improving profits with traditional crops.

A workshop Tuesday at 2 p.m. will examine private property rights. The focus will be on problems landowners face with environmental regulations and the public's growing access to private land.

The convention will be at the Roanoke Airport Marriott.

by CNB