National Pheasant Fest Soars to Record Attendance
National Pheasant Fest Soars to Record AttendanceNo Putting Freeze on Pheasants Forever's 25th Anniversary Celebration
For Immediate Release
Anthony Hauck (320)226-5784
Saint Paul, Minn. - January 20, 2008 - Pheasants Forever's National
Pheasant Fest 2008 and 25th Anniversary Convention presented by Cabela's
concluded today, drawing 29,802 people to the Saint Paul RiverCentre for
the three-day event. The attendance mark made the event the largest in
Pheasants Forever (PF) history.
Despite frigid sub-zero temperatures in Saint Paul, 29,802 turned out to
see the over 300 unique exhibitors, hundreds of bird dogs, and dozens of
educational seminars. The attendance total included over 2,000 new PF
members who joined over the three days of the event. Last year's Fest in
Des Moines, Iowa set the previous attendance high when 24,510 people passed
through the turnstiles of the Iowa Events Center.
Conservation policy debate took center stage at National Pheasant Fest
2008. After delivering a keynote address to PF members Friday night, Acting
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Chuck Conner announced an
important addition to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) at a press
conference Saturday morning. Secretary Conner announced approval for 45
proposals of State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) projects covering
nearly 260,000 acres in 18 states. SAFE proposals encourage state-specific
wildlife focused projects. The Minnesota-approved SAFE practice, called the
"Minnesota Back Forty," is specifically targeted at improving habitat for
pheasants and has been allocated over 23,000 acres in the CRP.
Directly following the SAFE announcement was PF's Farm Bill Forum, which
included this year's first joint public appearance by Secretary Conner,
U.S. Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and U.S. House Ag
Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN). "Conservation loses dramatically
without a new Farm Bill now, so we thank Secretary Conner, Chairman Harkin
and Chairman Peterson for their willingness to attend National Pheasant
Fest 2008 and to have an open discussion regarding current Farm Bill
negotiations and conservation programs," said Dave Nomsen, PF's Vice
President of Government Affairs, who also took part in the Forum.
Other dignitaries to take part in PF's weekend festivities included U.S.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), who delivered the keynote addresses at Saturday's
luncheon, Representatives John Kline (R-MN) and Michelle Bachmann (R-MN),
Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, John Johnson, Deputy Administrator for the
USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), and former Minnesota Vikings head coach
Bud Grant, an avid outdoorsmen who also served on PF's National Board of
Directors.
Pheasants Forever formally celebrated a quarter-century of wildlife habitat
success with its 25th Anniversary Banquet on Saturday night. Arlen
Lancaster, Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), read
a letter from President George W. Bush recognizing PF's 25 years, as well
as delivered the banquet's keynote address. NRCS, USFWS and the FSA
recognized PF with awards marking 25 years of conservation success.
"We formed in Saint Paul 25 years ago, and have come back to where it all
began to celebrate 25 years of Forever," said Howard Vincent, President and
CEO of PF. "We want to thank Cabela's for presenting this milestone event,
and especially want to recognize the 700-plus local chapters and 115,000
dedicated Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever volunteers across the country
who live and breathe our mission every single day."
For more information about Pheasants Forever, log onto
www.PheasantsForever.org