Strain: Farmland preservation key to continued agricultural success in La.

As the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry announced earlier this year, the state’s agriculture industry has doubled in just under seven years, from $5.9 billion in 2008 to $11.8 billion this year. But in order to meet the increasing global demand for food to feed a world population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050, the agriculture industry in Louisiana will need to accelerate production increases in coming years, says Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain, who was guest speaker at the Baton Rouge Press Club today. To double and triple production will require science, technology, innovation and protection of land, he says, emphasizing farmland preservation. “We need to protect the private property owner’s right if they want to sell [their farmland] to a mitigation bank,” Strain said, “but instead of converting farmland into CRP [Conservation Reserve Program] or converting it into wetlands, let’s leave it as farmlands.” Strain said he’s been encouraging Louisiana’s congressional delegation and both senators to challenge the federal government to have a better formula to mitigate land while still protecting farmland. The efficient utilization of water is equally vital for accelerating agricultural production, he added, which is why the department has been hosting listening sessions—the next of which is July 30 in Winnsboro—with the Environmental Protection Agency for farmers to relay questions and concerns about the agency’s proposed water rules. As for the department’s state general fund, which was cut during the session, Strain isn’t worried. “We were able to pass some amendments that would allow us to better utilize our self-generated revenue,” he said. —Rachel Alexander