Max Cleland: “I am fortunate to hold the seat of one of this Chamber's giants, Senator Richard B. Russell. Senator Russell understood…”

“I am fortunate to hold the seat of one of this Chamber's giants, Senator Richard B. Russell. Senator Russell understood the importance of strong agriculture policy and he once observed: ``when we strengthen American agriculture, we strengthen America.'' The failure of the Senate to complete a farm bill in 2001 was very disappointment to me. But the good news is that I believe we will pass a strong farm bill this week. One of the hottest issues in the farm bill for Georgia is the change in the current peanut program. Because there are not enough votes to sustain the quota program in Congress and because trade agreements have weakened quotas, I reluctantly agree with my colleagues that the system will be changed. I visited south Georgia this past weekend where the debate over the ending the quota program is big news. The proposed peanut program that originated in the House, bases the new program on acres determined by peanut producers, rather than by the landowning quota-holders. This shift in the peanut program, from the landowner to the producer, has caused a split among neighbors in south Georgia not seen in many years.”