AGRICULTURAL AIR QUALITY TASK FORCE TO MEET OCTOBER 29-30

                                            Release No. 0364.97
                                                               
                                                               
                                   Jim Petterson(202) 720-4623 
                                            jpetterson@usda.gov
                                     Diana Morse (202) 720-4772
                                           diana.morse@usda.gov


AGRICULTURAL AIR QUALITY TASK FORCE TO MEET OCTOBER 29-30

  WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 1997--the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Task
Force on Agricultural Air Quality will meet in Washington, D.C., on October 29-30.

  The task force will discuss a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between
USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency on air quality coordination as
well as issues related to agricultural production and air quality, including
agricultural burning.  The MOU is expected to be signed during the meeting.

  The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at the Washington
Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, N.W., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday,
October 29, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, October 30.

  Persons wishing to submit written material to the task force or make oral
presentations should contact George Bluhm, the designated federal official for
the task force, no later than October 27.  Bluhm is at the University of
California, Land, Air, Water Resources, 1512 Hoagland Hall, Davis, California
95616-1552 and can also be reached at (916) 752-1018 or by fax at (916) 752-1552.

  The task force, established by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman earlier
this year, is made up of farmers and ranchers, representatives of public and
private agriculture organizations and agencies, public health officials,
educators, and engineers.


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