Agriculture and Rural Affairs
The binational Midwestern Legislative Conference Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee provides a forum for state and provincial legislators to exchange information and ideas on policies related to agriculture, a critical sector across the MLC region. This committee also is exploring challenges and opportunities for rural communities in the Midwest. Its activities include ongoing policy research, agriculture-focused webinars and in-person meetings.
The committee officers for 2023-2024 are Saskatchewan MLA Steven Bonk and Kansas Sen. Marci Francisco, co-chairs; and North Dakota Rep. Paul Thomas, vice chair. Legislators from the Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces serve on the committee.
The MLC Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee last met and led sessions and policy-focused site visits at the 2024 Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
2024 committee meeting: Information and resources
- Presentation on “Managing Soil Health for Carbon Sequestration and Water Conservation” | Dr. Rattal Lal, Distinguished Professor of Soil Science, The Ohio State University »
- Stateline Midwest article on “A Peek at the Post-Chevron World: Legislators Explore Implications of court Ruling, Recent State Actions” »
- Agenda »
The MLC Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee meets at least once a year as part of the MLC Annual Meeting, most recently in Columbus in 2024 and Detroit in 2023. It also regularly holds webinars and conducts policy research for the Midwest’s state and provincial legislators.
The CSG Midwest staff liaison for the committee is Rebecca Leis.
This bipartisan event brings together the nation's legislators and other key leaders to explore policies related to agriculture, natural resources and the needs of rural communities. Hosted by State Agriculture and Rural Leaders, or SARL, the summit gets support from The Council of Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures. It will be held Jan. 3-5, 2025, in Des Moines.
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Successful community development efforts are rarely the byproduct of a single company or person. It is through the collaboration of different industry partners, educational institutions and workforce development specialists working in the field that communities can develop effective strategies. During this webinar, experts from the Center on Rural Innovation shared their insights on how policymakers can build these partnerships.
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The MLC Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee last met and led sessions and policy-focused site visits at the…
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Join us to learn about the latest developments in the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). As you know,…
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This webinar focused on policy and funding opportunities to help expand the use of on-farm anaerobic digesters. It was organized by the CSG Midwestern Legislative Conference Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, and led by federal AgSTAR experts. AgSTAR is a collaborative program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture that promotes the use of biogas recovery systems to reduce methane emissions from livestock waste.
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An event for all legislators from the region's states and provinces
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In conjunction with the 77th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) in Detroit, the MLC Agriculture…
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