"I hope that today we can start a dialogue on how to root out inefficiencies."
"The simple truth is, we must make some difficult decisions."
"There are no sacred cows, so to speak, and during these tough fiscal times, every program, every title will be on the table."
"We will make these determinations with the help of these audits, along with the input from our constituents."
"I believe that we can meet this challenge and develop thoughtful policies to keep American agriculture productive and competitive in the 21st century."
"The second purpose of these audits is educational in nature."
"We are starting with comprehensive audits so that we can examine each program within the broader context of farm policy."
"My, aren't free elections a wondrous thing?"
"Conservation is an important element of farm policy."
"Farmers and ranchers make their living off the land and they are committed to preserving and protecting it for future generations."
"As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to ensure that conservation policy is effective without being duplicative or too costly."
"In 2002, we increased conservation spending in the 2002 Farm Bill by $17 billion over 10 years--an 80 percent expansion that created the greenest farm bill in history."