Chuck Grassley: “Madam President, today in New Hartford, IA, at a local cooperative, the price of our corn would be $1.79. The price of…”

“Madam President, today in New Hartford, IA, at a local cooperative, the price of our corn would be $1.79. The price of our soybeans would be $3.96. So, obviously, with these historically low prices, we have to have a farm bill, a farm safety net. I want my colleagues to know I take into consideration the plight of the family farmer when I support legislation such as this. Since there was the accusation that this might be social engineering, I think I ought to start with my explanation of a family farm. It could be a 30-acre truck farm in New Jersey. It could be several thousands of acres of ranchland in Wyoming, where it takes 20 acres to feed a cow-calf unit. A family farm, to me, is a farm, not judged by size, not judged by income--a family farm is determined by, first, whether or not the family controls the capital; second, the family does most or all the labor--and I would include in that those people getting dirt under their fingernails most of the time--and, third, that they are going to make all the management decisions.”