[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 7 (Monday, January 22, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S172-S173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          AGRICULTURE CONCERNS

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, one of the things that I learned when I 
was back in my State was that there is serious concern in the 
agriculture community about the failure to have a farm bill in place 
before this new crop season begins.
  Already, farmers are having to make decisions about the kinds of 
activity that they will pursue on their lands this year, and without 
the guidance of the provisions as to agriculture programs from the 
Government, a lot are put in a position of having to guess and to 
simply operate on the basis of faith in the fact that Government might 
come to some agreement on agriculture programs sometime this crop year.
  It was one of the casualties of the veto by the President of the 
Balanced Budget Act that we do not have in place now commodity programs 
to guide our agriculture producers in making their decisions. Lenders 
are reluctant to make loans for funds to begin the operations of this 
crop year without that same kind of certainty, as well.
  What I am suggesting is that another high priority for legislative 
action, as soon as possible, in addition to the conference report on 
the defense authorization bill mentioned by our majority leader, is 
action on a farm bill, or action that will put in place some temporary 
arrangement for income protection, the other provisions that are 
usually found in commodity programs in the Agriculture Act.
  One suggestion that I know is being discussed today among House and 
Senate Members is whether or not this continuing resolution that could 
come over from the House include provisions of the Balanced Budget Act 
as they pertain to the agriculture programs. That is something that is 
being discussed.
  I do not know how that will come out in terms of trying to get 
bipartisan agreement. I support that. We have passed that twice now in 
the House and in the Senate. It was part of the Balanced Budget Act 
sent to the President. I hope we can come to some resolution of this. I 
urge the Senate and particularly those on our Committee on Agriculture 
to weigh in with their thoughts and advice and counsel on this subject 
so we can reach a decision at the earliest possible time.
  We will put at risk, Mr. President, a lot of farmers all over the 
country--not just in my State but all over the country--who do not know 
what the program is going to be. Is there going to be a program? The 
Secretary says he will implement himself a rice program if no action is 
taken by the Congress. In my State, that is an important commodity. 
What is the program going to be? We do not know.
  I think it is an obligation, and it would be a very serious act of 
irresponsibility if this Congress does not soon settle on a farm 
program for this crop 

[[Page S173]]
year, put it in place in the statute book, and let this agriculture 
sector of ours, which has become so productive and so important to our 
national pride, continue to flourish and to do so in an environment of 
partnership with the Federal Government to make sure that it continues 
to be a successful part of our national economy.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I came to the floor to speak about a 
number of issues. I ask unanimous consent to be allowed to proceed for 
10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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