Eva M. Clayton: “this Congress has not been very kind to small family farmers this year as the Agriculture Appropriation bill cuts…”

“this Congress has not been very kind to small family farmers this year as the Agriculture Appropriation bill cuts funding by $3.7 billion over last year's bill. That cut is on top of a $10.3 billion cut last year, and an additional $5.8 billion less than the year before. In addition, we will face an amendment later that, if it passes, small tobacco farmers could be the sole category of farmers effectively barred from obtaining Federal crop insurance, even though the purchase of crop insurance is mandatory for all farmers through the passage of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994. Later today, we will also face an amendment that targets peanut farmers. That amendment will help large corporations with moneys earned at the expense of small family farmers. But inattention to a situation that has plagued small family farmers for more than four decades is one of the biggest acts of omission of this Congress. The farmers and ranchers of America, including minority and limited resource farmers, through their labor and hard work sustain each and every one of us and maintain the lifeblood of our Nation and the world. These people do not discriminate; their products are for all of us. Therefore, it is important that we do all within our powers to ensure that each and every producer is able to farm without the additional burden of institutional racism rearing its ugly head.”