Legislature Takes $$$ from Agriculture & Forestry

By Don Molino, Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network

During his daily report on the Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain said the house over the weekend approved House Concurrent Resolution 1801 “which directs the (state) treasurer to take payments from all the constitutional and statutory dedicated funds and make a pro rata payment against state debt.”

According to Strain, that translates into $90 million from constitutionally dedicated funds to pay toward bond redemption.

“Included in those funds,” said Strain, “is over $32 million in dedicated funds for the Department of Agriculture and Forestry for such things as the cotton and grain indemnity fund and the self-insurance fund.”  $1 million of those dollars will be used to pay against the state debt.

“We opposed that legislation but it moved forward and now it’s headed to the senate,” Strain said.

The latest special session of the Louisiana legislature must end tomorrow evening.