On the recordMay 17, 2012
I rise today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Department of Agriculture. I believe Thomas Jefferson said it best in a letter to George Washington in 1787. Jefferson wrote: ``Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.'' In 1862, the 37th Congress and President Lincoln established the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and 150 years later, agriculture is still a pillar of the American economy. From wheat fields in Montana, to dairy farms in Wisconsin, to grocery stores in New York City, 1 in 12 jobs is linked to agriculture and forestry. In Montana it is one in five for agriculture alone. Agriculture is one of the few U.S. business sectors to boast a trade surplus of $34 billion last year. Because of our Federal farm policies, Americans have access to the safest and most affordable food in the world. Americans spend less than 7 percent of their disposable income to feed their families, compared with almost 25 percent in 1930 or as high as 28 percent in Russia today. The farm bill, which is set to expire this September, provides a responsible risk management system that ensures American farmers and ranchers can keep putting food on our tables even in times of drought, flooding, and other disaster. It provides conservation tools to protect the land we love and depend on for generations to come.…
