OUR POLICY ANALYSIS PROCESS
The Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Agriculture and Food Policy (BFC) is committed to generating objective analysis, presenting fact-based information, and framing the relevant alternatives and consequences for solving public problems.
The Barry Flinchbaugh Center Policy Analysis Process involves convening stakeholders, academics, and professionals to (1) define, frame, and review existing research to clarify policy issues in an objective manner, (2) analyze alternative approaches, choices, and solutions to public problems, (3) examine the impacts and probable consequences of the alternative solutions, and (4) leave the decisions to leaders, citizens, and policymakers for applying their values and circumstances when making informed policy choices.
Professor Flinchbaugh increased understanding about the nature and scope of policy problems, choices, and impacts. He encouraged rational thought, informed decision-making, and participation in the political process.
Barry would say "Agriculture is a minority. In order to get bills passed, agriculture must form a coalition with other interests. it still takes a vote of 50 percent plus one to pass any piece of legislation. To be effective in coalition building, successful minorities seek allies issue by issue rather than philosophy by philosophy. There are always gainers and losers from a change in policy. Politics has been called the Art of Compromise. Policy decisions are hammered out through the political process and the lines of compromise are redrawn over time."
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How do we frame the issue and define the problem without bias?
Identifying Policy Priorities, Conducting Policy Analysis, and Developing Policy Education Materials
Each year the Barry Flinchbaugh Center (BFC) identifies 2-3 topics to examine in scoping papers. Input on priority topics is based on interviews and surveys with a wide variety of in-the-know stakeholders operating in the state and national agricultural and food policy arena. The BFC Policy Council recommends 2-3 topics to the BCF Board for commissioning scoping papers to gather existing knowledge on trends, facts, and research on the nature and scope of the issue, importance to agriculture and the food system, and opportunity for policy education impacts.
The Issue Scoping Papers are used by the BFC Board to prioritize the topics and identify resources for organizing a more formal issue framing process with an expansive set of diverse interests having a stake in the topic, including agricultural producers, industry, consumers, and others. Academic researchers and policy education professionals will be engaged to facilitate mapping out the concerns, identify the broad set of 3-4 approaches of what can be done to address the issue, and initial identification of impacts and interests impacted. Knowledgeable staff and writing team professionals are engaged to conduct more extensive research and draft an Issue Map, Issue Book, and Policy Preference Survey.
Depending on resource availability, BFC Board may sponsor development of and release of Issue Maps, Educational Materials and Policy Preference Surveys. BFC Board may organize and/or collaborate with others to sponsor In-person and/or Virtual Conferences, webinars, and presentations involving top expertise to present the information using policy education methods and the alternatives and consequences framework for public, stakeholder, and policymaker learning opportunities and development of survey indicators on policy preferences.
FRAMING POLICY ISSUES
The BFC Issue Framing Process is designed to seek a wide range of voices, objectively distill information, and distribute findings widely.
1. Convene Collaborators
Engage partners like KSU, National Issues Forum (NIF) Institute, USDA, Farm Foundation, and expertise from Land Grant Universities, farm & commodity groups, and rural interests.
2. Form Issue Framing Panel (IFP)
Convene 12-20 stakeholders and professionals with diverse perspectives and expertise.
3. Initiate Issue Team
Organize a team that may include employees, Research & Extension staff, external consultants, and 1-2 Board members to organize Issue Framing Panel processes, plan conferences, and author Issue Maps, Issue Books, Surveys, and Reports.
4. Create Issue Framing Map
Issue Team organizes a series of 2-4 Zoom meetings to complete the BFC Naming and Framing Process using the National Issues Forum methodology to assure a minimum standard of objectivity.
5. Plan Policy Conference / Education Forum
BFC Staff & Issue Team presents the first Issue Framing Map to the BFC Policy Committee and BFC Board. BFC Issue Team, with assistance from Policy Committee and BFC Board organize BFC Policy Education Program.
6. Participant Surveys
Gather feedback from participants.
7. Prepare Policy Survey Attributes and Preference Report
BFC staff and Issue Team analyzes, summarizes and releases BFC Stakeholder Policy Survey Results.
Dr. Flinchbaugh said he just told it the way it was and added humor and stories to make a point. He presented the facts and destroyed myths, so students and Extension audiences had a greater understanding of the problem, alternative solutions, and probable consequences of the choices. People make more informed decisions if they understand the facts, regardless of whether they like them, or not.
Dr. Mark Edelman
Professor Emeritus,
Iowa State University
