Dale Bumpers: “That is about how important this debate has been considered around here for the last 20 years. For private lands, $11.20…”

“That is about how important this debate has been considered around here for the last 20 years. For private lands, $11.20 is the average of what people are paying private landowners to graze livestock on private lands. You are going to hear a lot of people state, ``Senator, do you realize cattle prices are awfully low right now?'' Yes, I know cattle prices are currently low. I used to be a cattle farmer myself. Cattle prices got so low one time in the late sixties, I heard a farmer say, ``I have already lost $100 this morning.'' I asked, ``How come?'' He said, ``One of my cows had a calf.'' I know that prices of cattle are not at an all-time low, but they are very cheap right now. But they are not as cheap as this bargain ranchers receive from the U.S. Government. Look at this. You are going to hear the argument that the States--because I am saying we should charge these wealthy corporate farmers who are getting this big ripoff from the Bureau of Land Management, they are going to say, ``Well, prices are so low now. This is no longer a big bargain.'' However, remember that the private land lease rates and the State land lease rates have continued to rise over the last 16 years.”