Tom Harkin: “I want to point out that in 1999, farm payments, Government payments to farmers in Iowa, equaled about 130 percent of…”

“I want to point out that in 1999, farm payments, Government payments to farmers in Iowa, equaled about 130 percent of their net farm income. Think about that. If it were not for the Government payments, Iowa farmers in the aggregate not only would have had no net farm income, they would have been far into the red--negative income. Think about it: Federal Government payments amounted to 130 percent of Iowa's net farm income. The Chair, in his comments, said spending is out of control. Was the Senator from New Hampshire blaming the farmers for this? I surely hope not because what is happening in agriculture today--high Government spending, yet farmers still being driven out of business--is a reflection of the misguided, defective farm program that we have called Freedom to Farm. I am proud to say I did not vote for it. These large Government payments in agriculture are a reflection upon a failed agricultural policy in America. We have to get our farm policy back on track again.”