(Wolfeboro, NH) - Today Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the first Member of Congress from New Hampshire to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in decades, took part in a rural development listening session with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue. This listening session is part of Secretary Perdue’s Rural Prosperity Task Force and provided New Hampshire agriculture and business leaders with an opportunity to discuss some of the opportunities and challenges facing rural communities in the Granite State including economic development, broadband access, and the opioid epidemic.

“New Hampshire’s beautiful landscape and rural communities are central to our state’s identity and we need to ensure that we support these quintessential parts of the Granite State so that they can grow and succeed,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I was pleased that Secretary Perdue was able to visit the Granite State and hear directly from local community leaders about ways to improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural communities face unique challenges, and it’s critical that policy makers in Washington hear the perspectives of people on the ground whose lives are impacted by their decisions. As one of only two New England members who serve on the House Agriculture Committee, I look forward to advancing New Hampshire priorities as we craft the next Farm Bill and ensure that critical funding for rural development, commodity and conservation programs are preserved.”

This year, Congresswoman Kuster has held Farm Bill Listening Sessions in Boscawen, Hanover, and Colebrook, where she discussed with constituents the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill and opportunities to support rural New Hampshire communities. To date this year, Congresswoman Kuster has introduced legislation reauthorizing the Northern Border Regional Commission, as well as the Homegrown Organic Act and the Improving Access to Farm Conservation Act, which will reform and improve the delivery of USDA National Resource Conservation Service programs.

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