Team Receives National Recognition


Auburn, Nov. 4, 2003 --- For the second year in a row, an Auburn University faculty member 
served on a team that received national recognition for its efforts to educate agriculture 
professionals about new federal farm policy.

Dr. Jim Novak, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System economist and Auburn University 
professor of agricultural economics, received the Outstanding Public Issues Program Award 
along with other members of the team.  The award was presented to the education team by the 
2003 National Policy Education Committee and the Farm Foundation.  The team also received 
the 2002 award.  

Composed of Extension specialists from eight states and from the Washington, D.C.-based office 
of the Farm Service Agency/USDA, the team was recognized for its work with the National 
Extension Farm Bill Train-the-Trainer Program.   

Novak and other members of the team developed this program to acquaint agricultural 
professionals with the new provisions outlined in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002, commonly known as the 2002 farm bill. The 2002 farm bill, which differed significantly from 
the 1996 farm bill, created a great deal of uncertainty among many professionals, who were not 
sure how policies outlined in this new legislation should be interpreted and implemented.

Working with the USDA's Farm Service Agency, Novak and other team members developed an 
educational curriculum that was provided at four train-the-trainer meetings held in major cities 
across the United States before the implementation of the 2002 farm bill.  According to a USDA 
representative, "The regulations had not yet been written when this training took place. Yet we 
did not have to go back and revise or correct even one item of the training materials when the 
regulations were put in place."

More than 60 farm professionals attended the meetings, each of whom, it is estimated, 
subsequently trained an additional 1,000 professionals employed in a wide array of farm-related 
industries. In turn, these 1,000 people assisted more than 100,000 landowners and farmers with 
farm decision making related to the farm bill.  

The team also received the 2003 Farm Service Agency/USDA Administrator’s Award in 
appreciation for their efforts.