GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES THREE NEW MEMBERS TO NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL FARMS

                                            Release No. 0287.97

                                      Jim Brownlee (202) 720-2091
                                               jbrownlee@usda.gov


GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES THREE NEW MEMBERS TO NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL FARMS,  
  REMAINING HEARINGS SCHEDULED 

     WASHINGTON, August 25, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
named three additional members to the National Commission on Small Farms and
announced the remaining commission public hearings and subcommittee
meetings.  Glickman has charged the commission with finding new ways to
support small and limited resource farmers and to study the problems facing
these farmers and recommend ways to help them.

     "These three commission members are tremendous additions to the solid
team in place," Glickman said.  "This commission has tremendous breadth,
depth and diversity of every kind--geographic, ethnic, not to mention
different perspectives--farmers, ranchers, academics, and the financial
community."

     The new commission members are: Gladys Holland of Petersberg,
Virginia, a retired USDA employee from the former Farmers Home
Administration, currently working at Virginia State University in
cooperative extension; James B. Neely, Sr. of Earle, Arkansas, an
agricultural specialist at the Arkansas Plant Health Board and a wheat and
soybean farmer; and Everette Herness of Whitehall, Wisconsin, a dairy farmer
and very active member in several cooperatives, including the Wisconsin
Federation of Cooperatives. 

     The remaining commission public hearing schedule is as follows:

     Tuesday, September 2--Subcommittee meeting in Albany, New York,
Marriot Hotel, 189 Wolf Road; public testimony begins at 10:00 a.m.  

     Thursday, September 4--Subcommittee meeting in Albuquerque, New
Mexico, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 330 Tijeras; public testimony begins at 10:00
a.m.   

     Friday, September 5--Subcommittee meeting in Clackamas, Oregon,
Monarch Hotel, 12566 Southeast 93rd Avenue; public testimony begins at 10:00
a.m.

     Wednesday and Thursday, September 10-11--Full commission hearing in
Washington, D.C., USDA Jefferson Auditorium, 1400 Independence Avenue;
public testimony begins at 1:00 p.m. on the 10th; business meeting begins at
8:00 a.m. on the 11th.

     Monday, September 15--Full commission hearing in Sacramento,
California, Beverly Garland Hotel and Conference Center, 1780 Tribute Road;
public testimony begins at 2:00 p.m.

      The media and the public are welcome to attend.  For information on
participating in the meetings please contact Jennifer Yezak Molen at (202)
690-0648.
                                 
                                #

NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the Internet.
Access the USDA Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.usda.gov