Abraham to host listening session for new Farm Bill

Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-Alto, will hold a listening session in Rayville to gather information from Louisiana’s agriculture industry leaders to assist in crafting the 2018 Farm Bill.
Dr. Abraham is Louisiana’s only member serving on the House Agriculture Committee and he still actively farms land near his home in Richland Parish.
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain and Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation President Ronnie Anderson have been invited to speak at the event.
Representatives from the LSU Ag Center and the Farm Services Agency, as well as Louisiana farmers from the rice, cotton, corn, soybean, sugar and dairy industries, have also been invited to participate.
The listening session will also include components on crop insurance, finance, conservation and nutrition.
“The current Farm Bill has worked well for the most part, but it isn’t perfect. I wanted to gather the top agriculture experts from throughout Louisiana to hear what they say is working and what needs improving so that we in Congress can draft the best Farm Bill possible for our farmers,” Dr. Abraham said.
The listening session will begin at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 29 at Rayville High School.
Members of the public may attend the listening session and they will have the opportunity to submit written comments after the listening session.
The Farm Bill is the primary legislation that sets the agriculture and food policy for the United States. Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill every five years.
The bill will need reauthorization next year.