Tom Harkin

I think agriculture has got a good story to tell there.

When we passed the Farm Bill in 2001--I think that is right, 2001--we were given a budget to work with by the Budget Committee for 10 years for our programs.

Thank you very much, Dr. Penn.

I wish it was earlier.

So the first applications would be available this fall.

I would not let this opportunity pass without thanking Chairman Bennett for his strong support of conservation programs.

Take it to the bank--as long as I am here.

Is there an attempt by some to kill the suborning--to kill it before it even gets off the ground?

I think we have been fairly indulgent on this.

I cannot believe that a 15 percent limitation is any kind of a real onerous limit.

I am just saying, if we think about conservation as a commodity, compared to the commodity programs, and one for which society has said it is willing to pay, then it would seem that we need some kind of equivalency.

It would not be acceptable for a commodity program to do that, and it should not be acceptable for this kind of commodity program.

The proposed CSP rule--I am getting back to that proposed rule again--would bar the vast majority of producers from participating.

Well, do you see the irony that I have just--the irony that USDA is complaining about the difficulty of implementing a rule that is open to all with a cap, okay?

Which we said no cap.

So is the Administration requesting a change then in their budget proposal to reflect what we did?

But the President's budget proposes one.

I understand virtually all expressing disappointment in the proposed rule.

I want to convey my thanks to the Secretary, to you, to Mr. Knight, for providing public access to the comments on the CSP proposed rule.

I understand most of whom opposed the proposed rule and everybody who spoke was against the proposed rule.

I want the world to `buy America.' The best products on any shelf anywhere in the world say, `Made in the USA.'

I want to thank you, Madam Secretary, for what you have done for the Ames Lab and for coming out for the dedication of it.

We are moving ahead at Ames, and I just wanted to thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Kohl and your staff, along with Secretary Veneman, very much for all of your support and help with the Ames lab.

I told you I was going to be hard on you on the CSP, and I am going to continue to be hard on you.

I just am hoping that you do have a revision of these rules.