Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue plans to visit three New England states today and Friday “to gather input for the 2018 farm bill and increasing rural prosperity,” announced USDA. The “back to our roots” tour follows a swing through five Midwestern states at the start of August.
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy is slated to join Perdue at the initial event, a farm bill listening session in Lebanon, Conn., late this morning. House Agriculture Committee member Jim McGovern, a leading proponent of public nutrition programs, and Massachusetts agriculture commissioner John Lebeaux are to take part in a farm bill session in Northborough, Mass., in the afternoon.
On Friday, Perdue and New Hampshire agriculture commissioner Lorraine Merrill will tour Lef Hydroponic Farm, in Loudon, NH, followed by an “agriculture and rural prosperity task force listening session” in Wolfeboro, N.H. Gov. Chris Sununu is expected to attend the session.
As his last stop, Perdue will administer the oath of office to the new chief of the Forest Service, Tony Tooke, near Albany, N.H.