[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 87 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1086-E1087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1997

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. FRANK TEJEDA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 1996

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3603) making 
     appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. TEJEDA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of 
words.

[[Page E1087]]

  Mr. Chairman, the amendment caps the average seasonal price for 
peanuts at $640 per ton. If the price rises above that price then no 
more peanut program.
  The peanut program works: American-produced peanuts are safe; prices 
have remained stable, rising less than the rate of inflation since 
1979; consumer prices for peanut products in the United States remain 
lower than that in other countries.
  We have avoided the boom-and-bust cycle typical of other agricultural 
industries. The peanut program is good for our farmers, particularly 
the family farmer. The average-sized peanut farm is slightly less than 
100 acres. Some 87 percent of peanut farms are family farms and more 
than 80 percent are owner-operated.
  One thing is for certain--killing the peanut program would do much 
more harm than good. The loss of jobs, farm revenue, land value, and 
local tax base would devastate smaller communities.
  We would increase our reliance on unstable and uncertain supplies of 
foreign peanuts, we would lose our quality assurance, we would lose our 
most valuable resource--our farmers.
  The 1996 Farm bill, which we just passed, makes reforms to the peanut 
program. Let's give these changes a chance to work.
  Let's not break our commitment to America's farmers.
  Vote ``no'' on the Kolbe amendment.

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