Political Quotes

“the conference report of the farm bill, which is before us today, will benefit farmers, rural communities, and taxpayers. I congratulate the members of the conference committee for their diligence in crafting an innovative bill that will continue to provide Americans with an affordable food supply. I am particularly pleased that the final report contains a provision that will provide Federal funding for State farmland protection efforts. This provision will make the Federal Government a partner in State efforts to gain long-term protection of important agricultural resources. The measure will help to counter the loss of millions of acres of productive farmland to urbanization. It has come to my attention, however, that a provision has been added to the bill in conference that threatens consumer confidence in the safety of meat and poultry in the United States. Constituents have advised me that language has been included in the conference report to establish a meat and poultry inspection panel to review every decision made by the Food Safety and Inspection Service [FSIS]. This panel could delay the implementation of the new Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points [HACCP] inspection system and undermine the authority of the FSIS. The language calls for two new Federal Register publication steps in the decision process which would add delays to the existing decision-making process.”