> Policy Committee Session AGRICULTURE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Winston I Chair Sen. Sampson Jackson, III (MS) 1st Vice Chair Rep. Helen Miller (IA) 2nd Vice Chair Rep. John W. Rogers, Jr. (AL) NBCSL Policy Staff Faye Anderson JURISDICTION This committee addresses the plight of black farmers who have been discriminated against; develops policies to protect African American landholdings and land acquisition; raises awareness of eminent domain abuse; and promotes 1890 (historically black) land grant universities and economic development in rural communities. TOPIC Rebuilding the Gulf Coast: Gambling on the Future? While the nation’s attention was focused on New Orleans, the Mississippi Gulf Coast was similarly devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Today, new land-based casinos are fueling the recovery and renewal of the Gulf Coast. Still, it is an open question whether displaced low-income residents will share in the Gulf Coast’s economic development. Or will they be squeezed out by rising land costs and the lack of affordable housing? The panelists will provide an update on Gulf Coast reconstruction. They will address what needs to be done to ensure that hurricane survivors have a fair chance to return and participate in the new economic opportunities. PANELISTS Rep. Frances Fredericks (MS) (Invited) Mayor Johnny L. DuPree Hattiesburg, Miss. Derrick Johnson President, Mississippi State Conference NAACP Councilman William “Bill” Stallworth Director, East Biloxi Coordination and Relief Center