Political Quotes

“since the New Deal, the federal government has fostered the equitable development of rural areas with farm credit and other programs that are the foundation of the small farm sector that is struggling to hold on today. Direct farm operating and ownership loans are an integral part of the historic and ongoing mission of the USDA and much needed resource for all producers, not just minority, socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers. The viability of America's small farms rests heavily on these loans, and the ability of the federal government to assist them in times of crisis. Our agreement with the majority preserves this traditional role of the USDA as the lender of last resort, keeping open entry to agriculture for a new generation of farmers by restoring the direct lending role that would otherwise be ended in 5 years, while maintaining our support of current farmers and the tough economic situation they are continually faced with. We have also agreed with the majority to address our concerns with loan participation data collection and our concerns with the transparency and accountability in Farm Service Agency County Committee elections. Target Participation Rates for USDA loans would help to determine the rates of participation for women and minority farmers in relation to participation of other farmers in the same county. This information would then be made available to the public via the USDA web site.”