Political Quotes

“We serve in an imperfect Congress, and we are voting on an imperfect farm bill. In some cases, we spend far too much needlessly and irresponsibly, and in some cases we spend far too little unwisely and irresponsibly. But a 5-year farm bill is absolutely crucial to America, and it is crucial to Vermont dairy farmers. This bill takes three important steps for dairy farmers in Vermont and throughout the country: One, it creates a modern-day insurance program which protects farmers against the wild swings in feed prices which are totally out of their control; Two, it protects taxpayers, as well as farmers, by limiting insurance to a farmer's base production; and Three, finally, it gives USDA the tools to intervene if dairy prices drop dramatically. Mr. Speaker, with its faults and imperfections, America does need a new farm bill. Agriculture is changing all around us. Local food is a growing sector in my State. The organic sector is booming, and people are much more aware of their food and farms. This farm bill invests in local foods, provides insurance to small farmers, and puts organic farming on a strong footing for the future. Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on the nutrition title in the Conference Report for the 2014 Farm Bill. I served on the House Agriculture Committee through the 112th Congress, when the Agriculture Committee began its farm bill deliberations and wrote its first version of the farm bill, including the nutrition title.…”