Thomas Daschle: “the amendment I offer this afternoon represents what I hope will be a consensus here about farm policy and the direction…”

“the amendment I offer this afternoon represents what I hope will be a consensus here about farm policy and the direction we take in agriculture for the next 7 years. We seek many of the same things, Republicans and Democrats. We want to ensure that we protect rural America to the extent we can. Democrats believe protecting rural America means ensuring it will provide a safety net for farmers in the difficult times, when prices are low, when crops are poor. We want to provide the maximum degree of flexibility, giving farmers a chance to plant what they want, to recognize the market changes, and to ensure they can respond to those changes as quickly and efficiently and successfully as possible. We want to simplify the complex programs that exist today, making them easier to administer, reducing the administrative intensity and the frustration levels of farmers themselves. Finally, we want to guarantee that farm programs do not end when this legislation expires. That is the purpose of the amendment I offer this afternoon.”