Top U.S. officials to hold media availability on competition and regulatory issues in dairy industry

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney will talk with reporters during a Friday forum on competition and regulatory issues in the dairy industry.

Vilsack and Varney will deliver opening remarks at the forum, which gets underway at 8:45 a.m. on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, then participate in a roundtable discussion on issues in the dairy industry. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who planned to participate, will no longer attend the session.

The media availability will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the Winkler Lounge of the Wisconsin Union Theater, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St.

For a full schedule of forum events, visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/ag2010/index.htm#dates.

Media interested in attending the Wisconsin workshop should register at www.surveymonkey.com/s/V3FHXPY. Media may begin arriving for the workshop at 7 a.m.; cameras must be pre-set by 8 a.m.

Media covering the press availability may begin arriving at 11 a.m.; cameras must be pre-set by 11:30 a.m. Media attending the workshop will have about 15 minutes to relocate from the Union Theater to the Winkler Lounge.

All media must present government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license, as well as valid media credentials.

Laptop-style bags will be allowed in the theater, but large bags and backpacks will not be permitted. There will be limited parking available near the Memorial Union for large media vehicles.

Media inquiries regarding logistics at the Union Theater at UW–Madison should be directed to Stacy Forster at (608) 262-0930 or forster2@wisc.edu. Other questions may be directed to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs at (202) 514-2007.