Antonio Delgado: “I thank my friend, Chairman Cicilline for those kind words. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the…”

“I thank my friend, Chairman Cicilline for those kind words. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, the Family Farmer Relief Act. I rise to urge bipartisan support for a bipartisan priority, relief for family farmers. Passing H.R. 2336 will make our Nation's bankruptcy laws for farmers reflective of today's economy and better represent the experiences of our Nation's farmers. I am proud to represent New York's 19th Congressional District, which stretches nearly 8,000 square miles, is made up of 11 counties, and includes the beautiful Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. New York 19 is the eighth most rural district in the country, and the third most rural represented by a Democrat. It is also home to nearly 5,000 farms and over 8,000 farm operators. The last USDA Ag Census found that 96 percent of the farms in my district are family owned. These family-owned farms, both in New York 19, and across the country, are facing alarming rates of foreclosure during this down farm economy. This is the fifth year on record of declining net farm income. Prices are low, inputs are high, and current trade policies make the future for farms unknown. 2018 marked the fourth consecutive year of rising bankruptcy rates as a proportion of the farm population. This farm economy is exacerbated by an outdated bankruptcy filing cap that leaves farmers without options to restructure or repay their debt.…”