Jim Hagedorn: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Protecting America's Food and…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Protecting America's Food and Agriculture Act. I think this bill is a great example of how the House can work together, particularly across committee lines. Here, we have Homeland Security Committee and Agriculture Committee folks working together in the House and the Senate. This is a critical piece of legislation in order to make sure we do everything possible to protect our food supply, our farmers, and agribusiness. I have been focused very intently on this whole African swine fever threat for many months. When you look at it in China, it has ravaged their hog supply. Literally, over 50 percent of the hogs in China have had to be slaughtered because of it. That disease has moved to Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It is in Poland, moving toward Germany and the European Union. It is an incredible threat, and it has caused a lot of destruction. In my district in southern Minnesota, I happen to represent some of the finest agricultural producers in all the world, including livestock producers and many in pork production. Our district is number two in the whole country for pork production. When you look at what is going on with African swine fever, it is obviously both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity is that there is going to be a need for our products--our pork supply, poultry, and other things.…”