Strain Wraps Up More Talks in Washington

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain spent the week in Washington D.C. attending a meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

By Don Molino, The Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain is back in Baton Rouge later after being in the nation's capital since last Sunday night for a meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

Strain and the other commissioners will meet later today with the staffs of both the house and senate agriculture committees to talk about the new farm bill and how it can be ready before the end of the year.

The Commissioner spent Tuesday morning at the White House meeting on rural prosperity, inter-connectivity, as well as "an open and strong discussion with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Vice-President Mike Pence."  Later they broke into smaller groups with White House officials talking one-on-one about how state and federal governments can be partners in moving American forward.

They also discussed the new farm bill, a foot and mouth vaccine bank, infrastructure and how the US can fully develop inter-connectivity.

Tuesday afternoon was spent on Capitol Hill where Strain spent a lot of time meeting with Congressman Ralph Abraham, the only member of the Louisiana delegation on either agriculture committee.