Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the farm bill that is now before the Senate. I want to say at the outset that this is a reform-minded bill that saves money and continues the evolution of farm policy in our Nation. I commend the chair and ranking member of the Agriculture Committee for working to craft a farm bill that helps equip producers with improved risk management tools while being mindful of our very challenging budget situation. This bipartisan bill will reduce the deficit by $23.6 billion because of changes to every title and the elimination of nearly 100 Federal programs overall. It shifts farm policy further away from dependence on income support and, instead, focuses on risk management. But to truly appreciate where we are in farm policy today, it is important to spend a minute examining how we got here. In the 1930s, depression and disaster ravaged our country's farm sector. At the time a quarter of this country's population lived and worked on farms and ranches, and most of what they produced was consumed relatively close to where it was grown. When prices collapsed and dust storms swept the Plains, many were forced off their land to look for work in the cities. But oftentimes no work was to be found. In response to this situation, Congress passed the first farm bill. It was called the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. The act placed the Federal Government in the driver's seat in making farm production decisions.…”