Aronnax Public Strategies (APS) and RDL & Associates announced that they have entered into a joint venture that will provide a unique federal and state government affairs and strategic communications service for the agriculture sector.

“State lobbying and federal lobbying are not mutually exclusive, and our affiliation provides clients with a presence in the halls of Congress and within the Executive Branch while also engaging stakeholders and policy-makers throughout the United States,” APS principal Fred Starzyk said. “This collaboration between federal and state government affairs teams creates additional opportunities and efficiencies for our client, providing a true team approach when it comes to our clients' government relations needs.”

The joint venture creates additional opportunities and efficiencies for clients and builds on APS's FedState Network model. This government affairs team approach allows clients to be engaged in all aspects of government affairs and strategic communications and helps them manage their political capital effectively and efficiently.

“Although the current farm bill is not scheduled to expire until 2018, reauthorization discussions are currently underway as to what the next bill should look like. Coalitions are being formed, policies are being considered and strategic planning by stakeholders is well underway,” RDL president Dave Ladd said. “None of the issues will be considered in a vacuum, because the agriculture policy playing field is extremely complex. This is why it is important to have representation at both the state and federal levels of government.”

In today's policy environment, a strategic and tactical communications and government relations plan allows for an organization to effectively hit the ground running at the federal, state and local levels of government and across business sectors, the announcement said.

APS, located in Washington, D.C., provides a wide range of services that include: federal and state lobbying, strategic advocacy planning, grassroots organization, public relations, policy research services, legislative tracking, grant writing and procurement, association management and federal contracting services.

RDL, headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., assists clients seeking solutions on issues affecting agriculture and the rural economy. The firm has a broad range of contacts at the federal, regional and state levels, as well as with key leaders in production agriculture, the renewable energy sector, agribusiness, financial institutions, state and federal government and Capitol Hill.