Rep. Crawford Calls on Department of State to Address Unrest in Haiti

Washington — Representatives Rick Crawford (AR-01), Clay Higgins (LA-03), and Julia Letlow (LA-05) have called on the United States Department of State to come up with long term solutions to the civil unrest in Haiti. Political violence and crime have recently reached new heights in Haiti due to the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7^th.

Safety of port and shipping crew has also been called into question as local thieves have targeted rice shipments due to its value as a stable food in the nation.

Because of the cost, insurance companies are now reassessing whether it’s economical to continue to cover rice shipments to Haiti and shipping companies are determining if they can continue to risk sending rice to Haitian ports.

“The political unrest in Haiti will only be exacerbated by food insecurity if companies are not able to safety deliver rice to the Haitian people. It is of vital importance to both our farmers and the Haitian people that we continue to provide a steady flow of product,” said Rep. Crawford.

“Ensuring the safe delivery of rice shipments and the safety of port and shipping crewmembers that make it possible is a top concern. Additional security is needed to provide certainty and financial stability for the rice industry and regional businesses up and down the supply chain. While the political situation in Haiti continues to develop, we must guarantee that American agricultural companies doing work in Haiti or anywhere in the world have the confidence that their crews will be safe and that their products will get to those in need,” said Rep. Higgins.

“Rice plays a prominent role in the rural economies of Louisiana’s Fifth Congressional District and across our region. That’s why I joined my colleagues in urging the federal government to ensure the unrest in Haiti doesn’t disrupt the rice market for our U.S. farmers and millers. It is essential that this issue be a key priority for the State Department so that we maintain longstanding trade partnerships while also providing nutritious and healthy food to Haitian families,” said Rep. Letlow.