Byron Dorgan: “I am a little bit surprised, because I think this is the most modest of proposals. This clearly is a baby step in the…”

“I am a little bit surprised, because I think this is the most modest of proposals. This clearly is a baby step in the right direction. In fact, it does not conflict at all with the Freedom to Farm bill. It complements it. Those who say that the farmers should get their price from the marketplace need to give the farmers the tools to hold that grain and access the marketplace when it is beneficial to farmers. That is what eventually will allow this farm law to succeed if ever it succeeds. So I think this complements the Freedom to Farm bill. I think this is the smallest, most modest of steps, but it is in the right direction. I wish that it would be accepted. It has no cost to the Treasury. It would be of some help to some producers at a very critical time. Let me say, we have heard some about trade here. Regrettably, this country is a 98-pound weakling when it comes to trade. We have sand kicked in our face every day on trade. I would like to fix all that. The Senator from Montana mentioned Canada. If durum wheat were blood, Canada would long ago have bled to death. With all of that grain coming here, we have an avalanche of Canadian grain glutting our markets. That situation, together with problems with Japan, China and Mexico and a range of other trade problems have undercut the market for our agricultural products.”