Byron Dorgan: “let me take a minute to say that I understand the point the Senator from New Mexico made. I appreciate the additional $6…”

“let me take a minute to say that I understand the point the Senator from New Mexico made. I appreciate the additional $6 billion that was added over the 5 years. My point is, it is far short of what we need in terms of income support. It is the case that the administration budget did not do nearly what it needed to do. But there comes a time at some point when the urgency of the situation in rural America really requires us to say this isn't about us or them anymore; it is about what we are going to do together to respond to a real problem of significant consequence to this country. We will simply not have family farmers left unless we together, Republicans and Democrats in Congress, recognize that we have a farm bill that says when market prices collapse, it's response is too bad. That can't be the farm bill response. When market prices collapse, if we want to save family farmers, we have to build a bridge across those valleys. Only the largest corporate farms will survive a collapse in market prices. They are big enough and strong enough to survive. Family farmers can't and won't. So if we care about having people live out on the land, if we care about the special quality family farms and small towns give this country, then we must reconnect and provide some kind of basic safety net for family farmers. Again, I see all these headlines about prairie dogs. They are going to save the prairie dog. God bless the prairie dog.”