Max Baucus: “it is time to get the farm bill done. So I rise in support of this bill. But I do so with some misgivings. Now, I know…”

“it is time to get the farm bill done. So I rise in support of this bill. But I do so with some misgivings. Now, I know that the first rule of medicine is ``Do no harm.'' And I am well aware that a lot of Americans have adjusted their expectations of this new Congress. A year or so back, they had high hopes. Today, they consider it a good month when the Congress simply decides not to do anything harmful or destructive. They're relieved that we haven't shut the Government down in nearly a month, and that the plan to let Medicare wither on the vine seems to have stalled. Our Number One Industry So sometimes doing nothing is better than doing harm. But, Mr. President, with the farm bill, it is just not good enough to wait any longer. Agriculture is the largest industry in my State. Our State statistics service reports that Montana has about 22,000 farms, averaging about two residents per farm. Those farms support almost 50,000 additional Montana jobs in agribusiness and the food industry. So our failure to provide some policy direction puts almost 100,000 people directly at risk, not to mention the tens of thousands of others in small banks, gas stations, auto dealerships, and other small businesses who depend on a strong rural economy. That is true across the country. In rural States, the entire economy depends on successful production agriculture. In urban areas, stable, fair and predictable food prices are the key to consumer well-being.”