Max Baucus: “Abraham Lincoln was no stranger to agriculture. He spent most of his early years on farms. Many years later, he signed…”

“Abraham Lincoln was no stranger to agriculture. He spent most of his early years on farms. Many years later, he signed into law legislation that created the Department of Agriculture, which just recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. President Lincoln understood American agriculture. He said: The man who produces a good full crop will scarcely let any part of it go to waste. He will keep up the enclosure about it, and allow neither man nor beast to trespass upon it. He will gather it in due season and store it in perfect security. Thus he labors with satisfaction, and saves himself the whole fruit of his labor. Those timeless words ring true today, and they will ring true tomorrow. American farmers and ranchers are the most productive and efficient in the world. Their hard work creates good-paying jobs in Montana and across the Nation. In fact, one in five Montana jobs is tied to agriculture. But President Lincoln's observations also apply to many other walks of life, including work in the Senate. Under the leadership of Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts, we have cultivated a farm bill for tomorrow. We must not let that hard work go to waste. They have worked very hard, very closely together, cooperating. It is a good farm bill.…”