Zach Nunn: “I oppose the Santorum amendment for three basic reasons. First, even without the reforms included in S. 1541, the peanut…”

“I oppose the Santorum amendment for three basic reasons. First, even without the reforms included in S. 1541, the peanut program is already one of the least expensive Federal commodity programs. Under S. 1541, it will be a no cost program. So this bill without the Santorum amendment represents fundamental changes in the peanut program. Second, the Santorum amendment does not recognize the evolutionary changes in the peanut program which began with competition from GATT and NAFTA. The peanut title reforms included in S. 1541 reflect the inevitable fact that peanut producers in this country are going to have to compete in the international market by reason of those agreements. Third, even those who support changing the peanut program, in my opinion, should oppose the Santorum amendment. The Santorum amendment does not give peanut producers or the rural communities which depend so much on the peanut program the time to adjust at all. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Santorum amendment.”