Byron Dorgan: “I want to correct, I think, an impression that was made. I do not think it was intentional, but the impression was that…”

“I want to correct, I think, an impression that was made. I do not think it was intentional, but the impression was that the Grassley-Dorgan amendment would prohibit the largest corporate farms from getting payments. We do not do that. They are limited in the payments they would receive. We do put a limit on it. We do not prohibit them. They will still get payments right up to the top limit. But that is all. To further make my point, in one case, a Mississippi cotton farmer set up a web of 78 corporations and partnerships that collected $11 million in subsidies. The name of one of his companies was Get Rich Farms. The farm program is not about getting rich for anybody. The farm program is to try to provide some protection and some help for family farmers, who are left to the vagaries of a marketplace that whipsaws up and down with weather, natural disasters. This is not about getting rich. It is about getting through tough times. That is what Senator Grassley and I wish to do. Now, Mr. President, my colleague from Iowa has arrived. I know he wishes some time. We have very little time left, but I will truncate my remarks so the remaining time will be available to Senator Harkin, who is also a cosponsor of this legislation. Mr. President, how much time remains on our side? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Six minutes.”