Barr visits H&R Agri-Power to announce launch of Ag. Advisory Committee

United States Congressman Andy Barr represents the Sixth District of Kentucky, but he was in Christian County Monday to announce the launch of his new Agriculture Advisory Coalition.

That coalition will be co-chaired by Flemingsburg, Kentucky native Adam Hinton with Hinton Mills, and Christian County very-own Wayne Hunt of H&R Agri-Power, which is where the announcement took place Monday. Congressman Barr, who is seeking to fill the seat that will soon be left vacant when longtime Senator Mitch McConnell steps down, says this coalition is about more than a campaign.

He called it a promise to Kentucky farmers to make sure they have a seat at the table when it comes to shaping Ag. policy in this country.

Barr says they have a strong start on their membership, with farmers from across the Commonwealth taking part, but he wants representation from all 120 counties.

It’s an unsure time for America’s farmers, with uncertainty about trade and tariffs, an upcoming Farm Bill still in the works and an unclear path concerning migrant workers. Barr says we need to find new trade markets, as China has proven to be, what he calls, unreliable.

He says they already have a lot of exciting ideas to open new markets and pathways for agriculture, and he thinks this Coalition can help pave the way.

There are fears that oil costs will spike due to the new conflicts in the Middle East, thus driving gas prices upwards, but Barr says we need to focus on making America energy independent, and agriculture could offer up solutions, including ethanol-gas fuel.

The Sixth Congressional District, is made up of at least portions of Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford counties.