From The Midwestern Office of the Council of State Governments
LOMBARD, IL — Representative Norine Hammond has been appointed to serve as vice-chair of a regional committee of legislators that will examine key agriculture and natural resource issues while pursuing opportunities for interstate and binational cooperation, policy-making and information sharing.XX As vice-chair of the bipartisan Midwestern Legislative Conference Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee, Hammond will be working with leaders from 11 states and four Canadian provinces. Hammond will lead the committee as the members continue their work to enhance the economic relationship between the Midwestern states and neighboring Canadian provinces and to support efforts to ensure viable rural communities, strong agricultural and natural resource industries and environments.
Each state and province in the region can appoint as many as six legislators to serve on this MLC committee.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee provides an opportunity for Midwestern legislators to examine issues affecting rural communities, including rural economies, agriculture, energy, forestry and wildlife of the individual states and of the region as a whole. The Committee’s focus is on those issues related to the approaches policymakers have taken to promoting the related industries, and the impact of federal policies on the industries, the land and people involved.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will have many issues to address with rural communities facing financial erosion in both farm income and rural job losses and a growing list of federal issues including food safety, trade and discussions beginning on the 2018 farm bill.XX Lawmakers from the following states are members of the MLC: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In addition, members of the legislative assemblies in four Canadian provinces — Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan — are MLC affiliates.
The Midwestern Office of The Council of State Governments is located in Lombard, Il., and provides staff support to the MLC and its policy committees. CSG is the premier multi-branch organization forecasting policy trends for the community of states, commonwealths and territories on a national and regional basis. CSG alerts state elected and appointed officials in all three branches of government to emerging social, economic, and political trends; offers innovative state policy responses to rapidly changing conditions; and advocates multistate problem-solving to maximize resources and competitiveness.
The national organization is headquartered in Lexington, Ky., and in addition to the Midwestern Office has regional offices in Atlanta, New York and Sacramento. If you would like more information on CSG or the committee, please contact Dr. Carolyn Orr at 859.265.0658 or corr@sarl.us.