Strain to Meet with Congressional Delegation

by Don Molino

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain will be back in Washington next week to meet with congressional leaders as work begins on the new farm bill.

Strain, President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, says he has assigned a task force made up of commissioners, directors and secretaries of state agriculture departments, to come up with some new ideas on how to help small dairy farms be re-vitalized and keep those small dairy operations in business.

Stain also says a rumor is floating around Washington concerning the new Secretary of Agriculture.  The last name mentioned is North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, but nothing formal has been announced.