On Friday, the Senate Agriculture Committee released the draft text for the 2018 Farm Bill, which contains a number of provisions championed by U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly that would benefit Indiana agriculture and the state’s rural communities. Donnelly, who serves on the committee, helped craft the bipartisan bill and earlier this week reiterated priorities for the bill that were developed after holding 12 listening sessions with nearly every segment of Indiana’s agricultural community. The Donnelly provisions included in the bill would help improve risk management tools, expand market opportunities, promote voluntary conservation activities, combat the opioid epidemic, support rural communities with investments in high-speed internet and waste- and drinking-water infrastructure, and fight against food insecurity. Next Wednesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to debate and markup the 2018 Farm Bill.