Political Quotes

“I am pleased the Senate is working to pass a farm bill. We need to complete action on this bill as soon as possible to send a signal that we could have a new farm bill implemented for the 2002 crop-year. One of the primary objectives of new farm legislation should be to improve the predictability and effectiveness of the financial safety net available to farmers and to eliminate the need for annual emergency assistance. Unfortunately, the payment limitation amendment that we are debating now will have the opposite effect. If this amendment is adopted, it will be a very serious and unfair-- even punitive--act that will be catastrophic for southern agricultural interests. The costs of production of cotton and rice are much higher than corn or soybeans. According to agricultural economics analysts at Mississippi State University, the cost of producing 1 acre of cotton is approximately $550, while the cost of producing 1 acre of corn is about $350, and for soybeans it is only about $100 per acre. On a 1,000-acre cotton farm, the production costs would be $200,000 a year higher than for corn, and $450,000 higher than for soybeans. This amendment clearly would be unfair to farmers who produce high-cost crops such as cotton and rice. Since 1985, the marketing loan program has been the centerpiece of our Nation's farm policy. It provides reliable and predictable income support for farmers while allowing U.S. commodities to be competitive in the global market.”