Brown’s staff hosts roundtable discussion

SOUTH POINT — Staff from the office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, were in Lawrence County on Monday to convene a roundtable discussion with Lawrence and Scioto County farmers and stakeholders.

The forum, at the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, was to discuss their priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill.

Brown, who is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years, is helping write the 2018 Farm Bill.

His office said Monday’s event continues a series of ongoing roundtable discussions they are hosting around the state as work begins on the farm bill.

“The next Farm Bill is an opportunity to help Ohio farmers respond to tough conditions and support rural communities across our state as they fight the opioid epidemic and fix outdated infrastructure,” Brown said in a news release. “I want this Farm Bill to reflect Ohio priorities. That’s what conversations like these are all about — hearing from Ohio farmers and communities to ensure we write the best bill for Ohio.”

In 2014, Brown was part of the Farm Bill Conference Committee that negotiated a five-year farm bill. He is currently participating in hearings in the Senate Agriculture Committee on the 2018 Farm Bill.