Thank you. I must say it is a real pleasure for me to be here today. I want to talk about two things, The first has to do with the formation and philosophy of Delta Wildlife Foundation. The second concerns my vision of the environmental movement for the years to conic and how its future might effect the cotton industry.

An initial core group of 100 agribusiness leaders in the Delta of Mississippi embarked on an innovative approach to enhancing the Delta's environment and wildlife and founded the Delta Wildlife Foundation in 1990. One genesis for this endeavor is enlightened self-interest, probably the surest of all motivations. Over 90% of the Delta's land is privately owned. Therefore, wildlife development must be on private land.

Recognizing the urgent need for improvement of the image of the Delta and its farmers, Delta Wildlife is improving the region's wildlife resources. America has @ perception that farmers do not have an appreciation for wildlife and the environment...only pesticides and land clearing. The Foundation is in the position to get the Delta ahead of the curve on this issue. We must develop our own innovative solutions to environmental concerns before the U.S. Government says what and how we will do it.