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




                              FARM PROGRAM

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the statement by the Senator from 
Mississippi is absolutely correct. I do not agree with the conclusion 
that we ought to include the provisions that were in the last Balanced 
Budget Act as to the next farm plan, but I certainly agree with him 
that this Congress owes a decision on what kind of a farm program we 
will have for the family farmers in this country--not just the family 
farmers, but especially for them--for the lenders, for the 
agribusinesses that rely on them. They need to understand as they head 
toward spring planting what kind of a farm program do we have in this 
country.
  We did not enact a 5-year farm plan last year. There are a lot of 
reasons for that. We do owe them, it seems to me, a response; if 
nothing else, an expanded and accelerated debate now to try to figure 
out what we could agree on for a decent farm program. I support that, 
although the Senate will not be in session with votes for some days and 
some weeks, perhaps, so that may not be possible.
  It will be my intention tomorrow to introduce a piece of legislation 
in the Senate to extend the current farm program for 1 year and provide 
some additional flexibility for planting decisions by farmers in that 
extension and, additionally, to provide forgiveness for some of the 
advance deficiency payments for those farmers who suffered a crop 
failure last year.
  I do not necessarily think the best solution is to extend the 
previous farm program or the current farm program, but it is a solution 
that is preferable to doing nothing. I do believe we owe an answer to 
farmers, to their lenders, to agribusinesses and others, and I 
appreciate the Senator from Mississippi raising the issue.
  All of us have a responsibility to work together to provide some 
certainty. My best guess is that the way to provide certainty at this 
point would be to extend the current farm program for 1 year, then 
during this year to have a substantial debate about what kind of farm 
policy we want in the future, for Republicans and Democrats to reach 
some consensus and agreement, and then move forward with it.
  Again, I share most of the issues and concerns expressed by the 
Senator from Mississippi.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. DORGAN. I am happy to yield to the Senator.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Will the Senator yield for a response?
  Mr. DORGAN. I will be happy to yield.
  Mr. COCHRAN. I appreciate the kind comments of the Senator from North 
Dakota. I just want to say, too, I agree with him that some changes are 
indicated. We just do not want the status quo. I think we can do better 
than the status quo. There is too much insistence on the status quo 
right now from the administration on a number of subject areas, vetoing 
a number of initiatives for change and for improvement of programs.
  We have some very good improvements in the agriculture programs 
included in that Balanced Budget Act, and to just say that we are not 
going to consider that I think would be a big mistake. So I was 
heartened by the comments the Senator made about the fact that he would 
suggest in his legislation changes for more flexibility, for more 
sensitivity to the realities of the current situation in agriculture. 
We have had a lot of changes. We have had higher commodity prices in a 
number of areas. But we do need to get on with it.
  I applaud the Senator and assure him that my interest, this Senator's 
interest, is working in a positive way to reach agreement so we can put 
it in place. I am glad he is going to introduce legislation along that 
line.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I have never indicated that I do not 
believe there are changes that are necessary. There are changes needed. 
The current farm program is frightfully complicated. It has the 
Government hip deep in trying to tell farmers where to plant, what to 
plant, and when to plant. We can have, in my judgment, a much better 
farm program that has much greater flexibility for producers.
  I do not like the so-called Freedom To Farm Act in terms of where it 
leaves us after 7 years, because my fear is we are in a situation, 
then, where there is no safety net at all and when international prices 
drop and stay down, family farmers just get washed away. That is my 
major concern. But there are some aspects of the plan that was put in 
the reconciliation bill which I could support. Flexibility is one of 
them. So I hope we can get together and have a thoughtful debate and do 
this the right way. Republicans and Democrats can join hands here and 
reach a common solution.

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