Bernie Sanders

I think the State of Vermont is leading the country in terms of energy efficiency.

It seems to me that if we are smart, and we want to save taxpayers money, and we want to protect the environment, and we want to create jobs, maybe we should start looking at wind, biomass, solar and geothermal.

If you are serious about building more capacity in the United States, the most cost effective way to go forward is through the new sustainable energies.

The bottom line here, it will enable consumers of electricity to use that electricity much more cost effectively.

Our estimates are that the solar energy potential just on those lands alone is about 100,000 megawatts, which would power 29 million homes or provide about 29 percent of the energy equivalent needed for the households of America today.

What we are doing is preventing hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars of damage a year while, as we go forward, we create millions of good paying jobs.

The question is, do we have the brains and the courage to address that crisis?

What they are telling us is that, we told you in the past that the problem was serious, but we underestimated the problem.

The issue that we are dealing with today is very different than many of the other issues that we deal with.

I was moved by Senator Burr's opening statement in the October 21 hearing; and honored that you, Mr. Chairman, would seek our counsel.

I would hope that the Department could look at the entire picture.

I agree totally with what Bill just said.

What recommendations do you have for her? What would you like the Department to do?

And are you satisfied with the nature of the democracy within the Organic Valley co-op?

The thrust of what I'm trying to get into is, are farmers themselves--are their voices being heard within the co-ops.

I know the answer, but I want it in your words.

Do you have concern, Paul, about the alleged concentration of ownership, of one company owning perhaps 70 percent of New England?

If we are able to manage or balance the supply of milk with demand and we don't have a level field to operate on, we still have an insurmountable obstacle, and that has to be taken care of.

All of you are struggling to keep your heads above water, or at least in the State of Vermont.

You mean, as we've driving farmers off the land.

But it's working fairly well.

It is absolutely necessary to have a program so people understand that the supply is getting too large and demand is not meeting that.

Let the record note that, here in St. Albans, Vermont, no farmer raised his or her hand in opposition to supply management.

As all of you know, everybody in this room pays taxes. We put money into the Defense Department, we put money into transportation to build roads, we put money into education to make sure our kids get a quality education.

That's absolutely correct. My understanding is that that may not necessarily be the case right now.