On the recordJune 19, 2013
I would suggest that it's not voluntary for all of those in an industry, and I am certain that not all of them in the industry are asking for this checkoff. Again, I understand there may not be the best infrastructure like the agriculture at the USDA programs for a checkoff like this. But again, I would ask the sponsor of this proposal: When have we grown rocks? Do we seed rocks? When we look at the agriculture commodity as a term described and defined, it says that the agriculture commodity means agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, and dairy products, livestock and the products of livestock, the products of poultry and bee raising, the products of forestry. I could go on, but it nowhere says ``rocks.'' To expand the program in a farm bill issue and in dealing with something we can't grow, I think, establishes the wrong precedent. I ask for support for the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The Chair would remind Members to address their remarks to the Chair rather than to other Members.
