The 2005 conference will focus on agricultural trade policy and its impact on producers, consumers, and agribusiness. The conference also includes commodity specific market information in the afternoon sessions, plus sessions on precision agriculture and farm business legal issues.

The General Session on Agricultural Trade Policy will feature four presentations:

Timothy Jossling of the Stanford Institute for International Studies will discuss how the current round of WTO negotiations will impact U.S. Trade and Agricultural Policy.

William Gillon of Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, will discuss the WTO ruling on U.S. cotton subsidies and the implications of the ruling for future U.S. farm policy.

David Schweikhardt, Professor of Agricultural Economics at Michigan State University, will summarize the General Session and give his observations during the discussion and question period.

Bob Stallman, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, will give his organization's view of trade policy issues.  Following the general session, Stallman also will deliver the luncheon address on "American Agriculture: Do We Have a Vision."

The afternoon concurrent sessions will address five topics:

Carl Anderson of Texas A&M University will give his outlook for the cotton market and discuss issues facing the cotton industry.

Carl Brothers, Senior Vice President for International Rice and Partnerships at Riceland Foods, Inc., will give his outlook for the rice market outlook and discuss rice trade policy issues.

In the Livestock Industry Session, ASU alumnus Leland Southard of the USDA Economic Research Service will describe the market outlook for beef, swine, and poultry, as well as strategic livestock industry issues.

ASU Associate Professor of Agronomy William H. Baker is in charge of the Precision Agricultural Technology session. He and his students will describe ASU's precision agriculture research program and how farmers and landowners can benefit from GPS and GIS technology.

Finally, Robert Jones, Attorney at Law with the Jonesboro firm of Barrett & Deacon, will present a session on Farm Business Transition and Estate Planning.

Continuing education credits are available according to guidelines of the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, the American Society of Agricultural Consultants, and the Arkansas Certified Crop Advisors program.

Joining the ASU College of Agriculture as conference sponsors are the Judd Hill Foundation, the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Midsouth, Liberty Bank of Arkansas, Riceland Foods, the USA Rice Federation, Busch Agricultural Resources, and Greenway Equipment Company.