Debbie Stabenow

I am very worried about what happens when the interests of American workers and businesses... are put at odds with the business interests of our President or his family.

We have lost close to 5 million jobs in our country as a result of currency manipulation and related practices.

I have a saying that, as we talk about trade, we should export our products, not our jobs.

They're trying to figure out what to do and when the CBO comes out, it's going to show that this cost a lot of money.

These programs make a difference in places like Somalia, and it directly reduces the influence of Al Shabaab.

By supporting programs like this, we have an OFDA and Food for Peace emergency program in Somalia.

I appreciate your work in bringing agriculture's voice to the Kansas Water Congress.

I think there is a lot of opportunity in what we call the bio-based economy that is really exciting.

We actually put dollars in there for not just biofuels infrastructure and energy efficiency.

I think it is absolutely critical and touches the complete quality of life in rural America.

I think personally speaking, from the Kansas provider perspective, it really still comes down to capital.

You really reflect the breadth of issues involved in what we call the farm bill, which is really the economic development plan for small towns in rural America, as well as food policy for everybody.

The strength of the current crop insurance partnership rests in the ability for a farmer or rancher to select products that meet their needs.

Thank you, both of you, for your commitment to crop insurance.

Well, we cannot close out this panel, Mr. Chairman, without my asking about something that we worked so hard on together related to livestock last time, which was a huge, important, new funding piece that we included.

That is something we need to take a look at.

Fully funding CSP and EQIP is very important to the pork industry.

I am also proud of the work that Senator Roberts and I did together to create new partnerships on funding research.

We never lost sight of the fact that 16 million people--16 million people--have a job in our country because of agriculture and the food industry.

I really do want to start the hearing, though, by thanking Chairman Roberts for his years of leadership on issues important to American agriculture.

I am very proud of the work that was done in a bipartisan way, and that is what we can do when we work together.

I appreciate very much Kansas State University hosting us, and I thank President Myers for his welcome, and Secretary Jackie McClaskey.

Farmers and ranchers pulled themselves up from their bootstraps. They understand fiscal responsibility.

We must write a bill that works across our entire Nation.

To those who say passing a farm bill in this environment is a daunting task, I say together we can get it done.