MIDDLEBURY — John Newton, Ph.D. Director, Market Intelligence for the American Farm Bureau will discuss the proposed changes to the dairy margin protection program in the 2018 disaster package. The Addison County Farm Bureau welcomes Newton to Middlebury on Saturday, April 14, at the VFW on Exchange Street from 3-6 p.m.
Newton will review other potential modifications to the dairy safety net in the next farm bill. He also will cover the dairy farm bill issues, such as Class I milk pricing or the Dairy PRIDE act, and discuss in some detail the Dairy Revenue Protection insurance product developed by the Farm Bureau.
Newton has worked in the agricultural sector for nearly 15 years. From 2004 to 2014 he worked for the United States Department of Agriculture as an agricultural economist working on issues related to risk management, policy analysis and marketing. While serving in this role Newton was detailed to both the Senate Agriculture Committee majority staff and the USDA Office of the Chief Economist to work on the 2014 farm bill.
Following his service to the USDA and the Congressional Committee, Newton was an award-winning faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana working in agricultural commodity markets, risk management and farm policy.
Newton now serves as Director of Market Intelligence for American Farm Bureau Federation. In this role he provides economic analyses used for the development of and advocacy for Farm Bureau policy.
Newton also serves on the board of directors for the Council on Food and Resource Economics, and in 2016 was appointed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to the agricultural trade advisory committee and advisory committee on agricultural statistics.
In 2018, Newton was appointed to the advisory panel for American Farm Bureau Insurance Services.
The third annual “Ag Appreciation Dinner Dance” follows. Admission to the dinner dance is a nonperishable food item for the local food shelf and a dessert to share. The event is for anyone working in or interested in the field of Agriculture. Local band “The Horse Traders” will provide music from 8-11 p.m.
Call or email Charlie Roy, President of Addison County Farm Bureau for reservations 802-989-3728 or [email protected].