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.

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 will next meet in conjunction with the 2024 Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting, which will be held July 21-24 in Columbus, Ohio. A preliminary committee agenda is now available:

The CSG Midwest staff liaison for the committee is Becky Leis.

The committee last met at the 2023 MLC Annual Meeting in Detroit.

Committee Leadership

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MLA Steven Bonk
Saskatchewan, Co-Chair
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Sen. Marci Francisco
Kansas, Co-Chair
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Rep. Paul Thomas
North Dakota, Vice Chair