Tim Johnson

I am concerned that in order to accommodate the President's proposed $726 billion tax cut, the Administration has made significant cuts to critical programs that benefit farmers, ranchers, and all American citizens.

there is a widely held and growing view across much of America that the Department of Agriculture is teaming up with the packers to sandbag country of origin labeling for meat.

$200 million would be eliminated from water and sewer grants to small communities.

I think they support the concept of country of origin labeling, that our consumers deserve to know the origins of the products they feed their families.

Would you agree that the law prohibits on-farm mandatory animal identification and does not permit third-party mandates by packers?

the elimination of $200 million from the water and sewer grants to small communities ... is just immense

The reason you are hearing that is because they are scared to death of extraordinarily bureaucratic, red-tape filled, expensive recordkeeping requirements that the packers are telling them USDA is going to require.

America remains the only major industrialized society in the world that does not negotiate on behalf of its citizens a better price.

I want to welcome Under Secretary Hawks, Under Secretary Bost, Under Secretary Murano today, as well as FDA Commissioner McClellan.

Thank you, and I thank Senator Byrd, as well, for his leadership and guidance and his courtesy here.

My constituents literally are choosing between groceries and staying on their prescriptions.

And I would only conclude that among the things the law requires is that there not be third party verification requirements for every animal in the country.