Mike Conaway

It's important that we keep these programs funded to safeguard their continued success, and above all else--these programs must stay voluntary.

I'm proud of the work we have accomplished over the years, and I'm proud of the work of the farmers, ranchers and forest owners who implement these important conservation practices.

The family I am going to have in the front of my mind is a single mom struggling to make ends meet.

We know we have a broken immigration system in this country, and we must figure out how to go about fixing it in a bipartisan manner.

We believe that all potential providers, including electric cooperatives, should be eligible for programs designed to bridge the digital divide.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of living in this country, and all the blessings that that bestows upon us.

By helping encourage agricultural development in Tanzania, we are spurring economic growth.

NRECA supports this request not only because it is a reasonable adjustment for today's farming economics.

If we are going to be spending money on these programs, we have to be spending it in the best way possible in a way that helps to provide an economic and a political benefit at home not just overseas.

I implore the Committee to make sugarbeet research funding a priority in the 2018 Farm Bill to ensure a brighter future for both our families and our customers.

The United States continues to be the world leader of in-kind food aid donations and total development assistance.

I want to get nutrition to people who need it, but I don't want to put cash in the hands of people who might use that against the folks that need our assistance.

While I recognize that our budget problems cannot be ignored, it is important to note that the agriculture community has repeatedly answered the call for reform and has done more than its fair share to generate savings.

As we continue working to craft the next farm bill, we turn our attention to one of the primary drivers of innovation and productivity in our 21st century agricultural economy, and that is university research.

I am deeply troubled by CBO's scoring of what appears to be a relatively straightforward change to the program.

The United States must lead, not be led.

Clearly, if USDA does not withdraw this rule, Congress must continue to act legislatively.

Federal immigration policy must balance enforcement with a humane and effective program to allow foreign-born workers to come here to do the produce harvesting and processing jobs that Americans simply won't.

That trout stream now generates over $4 million in income to that local community from that investment.

The bottom line is that the H-2A Program is insufficient for meeting the needs of our growers, and it disproportionately hurts small farmers.

I believe this is a needed step in ensuring that organic practices have the widespread impact on American agriculture they deserve, while meeting ever-growing consumer demand.

Without the dedicated and skilled workers to harvest the fruit and vegetable crops grown here in this country, logic dictates that we as a nation will then have to source those commodities from other countries.

While this Committee cannot control the weather, we can provide our farmers and ranchers the tools necessary to protect and conserve not only the land, but also their way of life.

I would be remiss if we did not take a moment to reflect on the fact that we lost a great friend of American agriculture last week.

we have to make sure our farm industry is healthy, but at the same time, we are getting taken advantage of by the rest of the world