MR. BROWN: Thanks for the session. My name is Joshua Brown. I represent the Northeast Organic Farming Association here in Vermont. And I'm pleased to be able to be here and listen to the range of debate about these issues. As an organization, we are concerned what the impacts of corporate trade are on Vermont certified organic farmers. I think we all know that's an extremely complicated question, but that there are some troubled future possibilities for Vermont farmers who are trying to remain certified organic. And I hope that this will be part of the dialogue as trade discussions continue.

As I was coming up here I saw a bumper sticker that's often seen around that quotes Einstein saying we can not simultaneously prepare for war and peace. And I was struck how it resonated with the recent conference I was at the USDA in Washington in which community food security was being discussed. It was a very productive conference. I was encouraged by the fact that USDA is working on local food systems, and promoting the idea that local food systems and community food security has a lot to do with each other.

And yet it's clear that the minuscule budget for food security is completely overshadowed by other kinds of priorities in the USDA. And I'm hopeful that that budget will continue to increase as the USDA looks at its priorities, and that of course has an impact on trade policies as well. (inaudible) then the logical response to that is a very conservative one as far as local trade issues go.

I don't want to specifically say what the policy is. I think we are still looking at this question. One I think that I hope you will think about as you continue this, is the one that was brought up earlier by David Zuckerman about genetic drift. In other words what's happening -- what happens in certified organic fields where genetically modified organisms and other kinds of genetically modified activity affects the crop that's certified? Where is the liability risk in those issues, and what redress do certified farmers have in this situation in which a genetically modified product compromises the organic nature of that food? Thank you.

MR. SCHUMACHER: Great.