We will scrutinize waste, fraud, and abuse, and look for ways to build on the success the Department has already achieved.

I hope that today we can start a dialogue on how to root out inefficiencies.

There are no sacred cows, so to speak, and during these tough fiscal times, every program, every title will be on the table.

We will make these determinations with the help of these audits, along with the input from our constituents.

These audits ensure that we are operating from the same base of knowledge.

The simple truth is, we must make some difficult decisions.

My goal with these hearings is two-fold.

The second purpose of these audits is educational in nature.

We are starting with comprehensive audits so that we can examine each program within the broader context of farm policy.

Farmers and ranchers make their living off the land and they are committed to preserving and protecting it for future generations.

As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to ensure that conservation policy is effective without being duplicative or too costly.

In 2002, we increased conservation spending in the 2002 Farm Bill by $17 billion over 10 years--an 80 percent expansion that created the greenest farm bill in history.

Today's audit will help us evaluate our current policy so that we can determine what is working, what needs to be adjusted, and what can be eliminated.

the conservation programs are the most popular. They do the most good. They are the legacy programs.

When we lose that source of production, we don't usually get it back.

I believe that we would be holding these audits regardless of the time period in which we will be writing the next farm bill.

I can tell you in these temperatures every chore is that much harder.

That's why I'm so grateful to the men and women who choose farming as a career.