May 5, 2020
The Honorable David Bernhardt Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington, D.C. 20240
Dear Secretary Bernhardt:
On behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's largest general farm organization, I am writing to extend a personal invitation to you to address a special gathering AFBF is hosting later this year.
On July 14 and 15, Farm Bureau presidents from all fifty states and Puerto Rico will convene for a Council of the Presidents. This event will be the highlight of our calendar this year, and I would be very grateful if you could address the group. We will do everything possible to accommodate your schedule and are prepared to hear from you either the morning or afternoon of July 14 or July 15.
Because of the unique circumstances of the current national emergency, this Council of the Presidents will be a `virtual' meeting, not a physical gathering. Our information technology experts will be pleased to consult with your own staff in coordinating your participation in this event.
With all the challenges farmers and ranchers have faced this year, Farm Bureau has never had a better friend or champion in the Department of the Interior. As Secretary, you have undertaken critical work in many areas, in particular the commitment to multiple use management of America's public lands, regulatory efforts to reform the outdated and ineffective Endangered Species Act, streamlining the National Environmental Policy Act, and the modernization of grazing regulations to provide regulatory certainty for federal livestock permittees and to ensure the health of our nation's rangelands. I know our presidents would not only be interested to see and hear from you on issues of common interest but also to express their appreciation for the leadership and support you have demonstrated during these trying times.
I hope your schedule will permit you to join us at this event. We will follow up with your staff in
hopes of securing your acceptance of this invitation. Please contact Paul Schlegel (pauls@fb.org
or (b) (6)
or Valeria Zavala (valeriaz@fb.org or (b) (6)
if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
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EMI
,_
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION'
600 Maryland Ave. SW I Suite 1000W I Washington, DC 20024
Zippy Duvall President
ph. 202.406.3600 f. 202.406.3602 www.fb.org
Sierra Club FOIA - DOIOS-2024-000670
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