Kent Conrad: “I don't know if the Senator noticed in the Wall Street Journal article, former Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland…”

“I don't know if the Senator noticed in the Wall Street Journal article, former Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland said, ``Unless the bankers get worried, nothing will get changed in Congress.'' Isn't it the case that you and I just met yesterday morning with the bankers from our State and those bankers are worried? We had banker after banker from across the State of North Dakota tell us they are going to wind up farming. We just got a report that, for the first time in anyone's memory, land in the Red River Valley of North Dakota, which is the richest farmland in the world, will not be farmed this year; it will not be farmed. Isn't it the case, Senator Dorgan, when we talked to our bankers, they told us they anticipate thousands of farmers leaving the land this year in North Dakota and a much more serious situation next year unless we take action?”