[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H7083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 OPPOSE THE ANTIFARMER LOWEY AMENDMENT

  (Mr. CHAMBLISS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, having lived in the middle of Georgia's 
farm belt all my adult life, I want to make sure the facts are on the 
table as we debate this year's agriculture appropriations bill.
  It concerns me that big city representatives think that cutting farm 
programs is the simple solution to budget problems. For example, Mrs. 
Lowey of New York plans to offer an amendment which would lower the 
support price of peanuts from $678 per ton to $550 per ton.
  Now, she thinks that a cut like this will produce savings, but 
according to USDA it would cost taxpayers around $100 million. That's 
right, a cut that would cost taxpayers millions.
  But that is not all. She also believes that this cut will spell out 
savings for consumers. Wrong again. Reduction in the farm price for 
peanuts will not be passed on to the consumers.
  In fact, 74 percent of the consumer's cost for peanut butter is added 
on by food processors after peanuts are sold by farmers. This amendment 
would actually increase profits for multinational commodity traders and 
food companies by paying farmers less for their peanuts.
  Oppose the antifarmer Lowey amendment. It will not lower Government 
costs, it will not lower consumer prices, but it will devastate small, 
family farmers across the country.


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