(Dothan, AL)--U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions recently co-sponsored legislation to help protect the rights of family farmers. He attended a USDA Agriculture Forum in Geneva County on Wednesday to talk with farmers about their current agriculture concerns.

"We have more farmer markets, we have people wanting to buy fresh produce, and that's a good thing for our local economy," Sessions said. "That's why it's necessary to address their concerns and get their take on current proposals," he said.

Alabama's immigration law, rising gas prices, and drought-like conditions all things Sessions said he'll be considering when it comes to the farm bill for this year.

"It's causing some tension within congress and with southern agriculture as far as businesses are concerned<" Sessions said."I think its' been very difficult for many farmers to have the government intervene in the normal course of farming."

Sessions said if Alabama farmers are to be successful, then changes will have to be made to the immigration law at the federal level.

"We need to create a program that's limited but actually can help provide labor at critical points in time," Sessions said.

Senator sessions recommends that each state develop a temporary work-release program, as well as set clear laws to obtain permanent citizenship.