Kevin Roberts: “I come to the floor to talk about a topic and a bipartisan bill that will affect what consumers pay for their food, the…”

“I come to the floor to talk about a topic and a bipartisan bill that will affect what consumers pay for their food, the grave threats of worldwide malnutrition and hunger, and the future of every farmer, every grower, and the future of every rancher in America. That topic is agriculture biotechnology. We have all heard about our growing global population, currently at 7 billion and estimated to reach over 9.6 billion in the next few decades. Tonight, 1 in 9 people--that is roughly 800 million people-- worldwide will go to bed hungry. Around the world, impoverished regions are facing increased challenges in feeding their people. Show me a nation that cannot feed itself, and I will show you a nation in chaos. Goodness knows, we have had enough of that. We have seen too many examples in recent years where shortfalls in grain and other food items or increases in prices at the consumer level have helped to trigger outbreaks of civil unrest and protests in places such as the Middle East and Africa. In light of these global security threats, today's farmers are being asked to produce more safe and affordable food to meet the demands at home and around the globe. At the same time, farmers are facing increased challenges to their production, including limited land and water resources, uncertain weather, to be sure, and pest and disease issues.…”