Jerry Moran: “tonight I rise to voice the concerns of farmers and ranchers who struggle to feed the world as well as their own…”

“tonight I rise to voice the concerns of farmers and ranchers who struggle to feed the world as well as their own families. Kansans will tell you it is difficult to make a living on the farm. Federal farm policies do not take into account the current scenario of input prices rising to record levels. Natural disasters, whether it is hurricanes in the South, in the gulf, or droughts in the Midwest, still fall far beyond what a farm bill or crop insurance policy can adequately address. As we have seen with hurricanes Katrina and Rita, not only do such disasters introduce terrible human suffering and paralyze the region in which they hit, but they also affect with transportation bottlenecks and skyrocketing energy prices many others a long way away. Any suggestion that things are good in ag country does not meet the reality test. Having completed 69 town hall meetings, one in each of the counties that I represent, I know farmers are greatly affected by the high cost of fuel, fertilizer, and natural gas. American agriculture depends on natural gas to bring food to our tables. We use natural gas for irrigation, for drying our crops, processing our food, and, most importantly, in producing our fertilizer. In addition to price of natural gas and fertilizer, the cost of diesel is a major concern for producers. In Kansas, it is estimated that the average farmer's fuel bill will increase $17,000 this year.…”