Rick Allen: “I rise in opposition to the Johnson amendment. There may be some understandable sympathy with respect to the amendment…”

“I rise in opposition to the Johnson amendment. There may be some understandable sympathy with respect to the amendment of Senator Johnson and Senator Grassley. We all claim concern for the small farm and for reducing consumer prices. We are in the process of voting on numerous amendments to protect the viability of the family farm and the farmer's ability to provide for his or her family. Personally, Virginians have been working on a peanut provision to protect small Virginia peanut farmers from the untenable, devastating, and radical changes proposed in this farm bill. I have heard the statistics that have been quoted by the Agriculture Committee ranking member, Senator Lugar, in which Senator Lugar pointed out that a large percentage of Federal farm subsidies go to a relatively small percentage of our farms. These are oftentimes larger farms, and I certainly understand his concern. The situation being addressed by this amendment is not the same type of issue. The Johnson amendment will actually harm the small farm it intends to protect. This amendment will prevent entrepreneurial and creative companies from achieving operational quality, efficiency, and economies of scale. This amendment will drive up consumer prices. This amendment will make the U.S. products less competitive in world markets. This amendment will drive small farmers out of the market.”