Calvin Dooley: “I am going to vote for this measure today on the floor, or when we vote on final passage; but I also want to assure…”

“I am going to vote for this measure today on the floor, or when we vote on final passage; but I also want to assure Members that there is more work that we need to do on this bill before it is going to be drafted in a responsible manner that can, I think, give us great confidence that it is the best policy for agriculture when it is signed into law. This bill does take the appropriate direction in terms of moving forward with an increased investment in conservation, nutrition, as well as rural development; that those are important components of our rural economy and the fabric of our communities in rural America. I commend the chairman and the ranking member for moving in that direction. I also understand, as a farmer as well as a Member of Congress, that we are facing as tough times in the agriculture sector as we have faced in a century. We have the lowest sustained commodity prices that we have ever seen. Farmers are on the ropes. The additional financial assistance we are providing through the fixed payments, as well as the countercyclical programs, are important to these farmers.”