Political Quotes

“There are marketing co-ops. There is the Virginia-Carolina peanut growers marketing cooperative and the Georgia-Florida-Alabama co-op, and the Southwest peanut growers co-op, who are allowed under the USDA regulation to enter into various activities pertaining to the operation of the peanut program. In regard to this, it is my understanding that the manufacturers are in the process of having a lawsuit pertaining to this issue. They have filed a protest letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the issue over the years has been worked out with the co-op with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in such a manner as to be within the purview of the ethics rules and regulations. And therefore the concept is not a violation of a conflict of interest. The associations and co-ops are closely supervised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel. They have extensive in-house audits by Government officials, which are conducted each year. It results in cost savings to the Government because the operation is contracted out. These are conducted in small towns where the cost is less than it would be if operated in Washington.”