NAICC Advocating for Research and Crop Consultants

Abstract

Legislators and government leaders need real world information from growers and the people who work with growers to be able to best serve the people they represent. Passing or maintaining reasonable legislation to allow our producers to feed and clothe the world in a plentiful and safe manner is key to their responsibility as policy makers. The agriculture industry needs advocates. While the industry is providing new technology and tools to help growers grow more safe and plentiful food and fiber, increasing regulation is threatening, and in some cases taking away, these vital tools. To achieve successful pest resistance management our growers need all available resources and do not need good tools being taken away due to unreasonable risk management policies or political agendas based on emotion rather than sound science. Too often we spend our time “doing our jobs” in the office or lab and not enough time communicating the reality of what we do. Groups of unbiased consultants, like members of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants [NAICC, https://naicc.org (accessed June 16, 2020)], can provide our government representatives with this information in an organized and comprehensive manner. Twenty-two years ago, NAICC began an activity in Washington, DC known as the Crawfish Boil on the Hill. The event is held in the Longworth Food Court which is conveniently located in one of the three office buildings of the House of Representatives. We invite our legislators, their staff, agency personnel and Washington representatives from various agriculture groups to come and partake in authentic cuisine - crawfish, etouffee, red beans and rice and all the trimmings. A chef comes from Louisiana and cooks the crawfish that was flown in that day. This is all free of charge and is a no pressure event. Earlier in the day NAICC representatives visit with legislators and their staff in their offices to discuss the issues important to our NAICC members (which are typically issues important to our growers) and invite them to the Crawfish Boil. We also visit with the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA, https://www.epa.gov (accessed June 16, 2020)], United States Department of Agriculture [USDA, https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/ (accessed June 16, 2020)], commodity groups and other agriculture groups in the area. In 2019, the NAICC visited with Secretary of Agriculture [https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/our-secretary (accessed June 16, 2020)]. A survey of the NAICC membership indicated that interaction with our law makers was one of their top priorities for its Board and the Government Affairs Committee. This chapter will give details on how the NAICC organizes and carries out this event which might provide ideas on how you can be an advocate as well.