[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 119 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          SEEKING SOLUTIONS ON BEHALF OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join the gentleman 
from South Dakota and the gentleman from Oklahoma to talk about what we 
heard in the farm belt during our August recess.
  I used the 4 weeks of August and early September to travel the 66 
counties of the First District of Kansas, holding 66 town hall 
meetings; and at every stop, the primary concern of the folks who came 
to see their Congressman was the price of farm commodities, the price 
of oil and gas. Everything that we produce and raise in our State has 
depressed prices; it has significant impact upon the people of our 
State, the people of this region, and now the people of the country.
  The stories were sad. I can remember the past president of the State 
Future Farmers of America who has had every intention of returning to 
the family farm, but now cannot see how that can be done with the 
current state of agricultural economics. We need that next generation 
to be able to afford the ability to return to the family farm and to 
provide food and fiber to this country.
  I can envision at the other end the senior citizen, the senior 
farmer, the wife, the spouse who comes with tears and a choked voice to 
say, ``Congressman, what can my husband and I do to keep our family 
farm? We have fought this fight for over 30 years and we cannot afford 
to do so any longer.''
  And I think it is accurate to say that many farmers who have fought 
the fight in the past will decide that they no longer can afford to do 
so, and as a result, we will see more farms on the market, we will see 
larger farms, we will see fewer family farms, and we will see great 
difficulties in rural communities across the State of Kansas and across 
the country.
  This has significant impact on not just farmers and ranchers, but on 
all Kansans and upon all Americans. In my State alone, revenue from the 
wheat crop and the tremendous harvest we have had 2 years in a row, 
this is not because of lack of production but this is because of a 
dramatic decline in the price of foreign commodities. In Kansas alone 
we see $750 million less in revenue to farmers as a result of the price 
of wheat, $190 million less in revenue to farmers in Kansas because of 
the reduction in the price of corn, a $290 million reduction in the 
State of Kansas to family farmers because of reduction in the grain 
sorghum price.
  Soybeans reduce farm income another $250 million in the State of 
Kansas. And cattle revenues are down over $400 million this year alone.
  And when we add that to the oil and gas economy of my State, another 
reduction of $260 million, we are talking about a reduction in farm and 
rural income of more than $2 billion in 1 year alone.
  Mr. Speaker, these issues matter to the survival of not only the 
farmer but the small towns of the State of Kansas. It is a story to be 
told by the grocery store clerk, by the car dealer, by the implement 
dealer. All of us are impacted, and ultimately we pay a tremendous 
price as Americans in our food supplies.
  So tonight I rise to ask for assistance from my urban colleagues, 
from my colleagues from other rural States, from Republicans and 
Democrats, to see if in the remaining days of the 1998 session of 
Congress, if we cannot come together to seek solutions, to preserve a 
way of life and to fight on behalf of the cattleman and the farmer 
across the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity of raising this issue and 
joining my colleagues in seeking solutions on behalf of American 
agriculture.


          Removal of Name of Member as Cosponsor of H.R. 4006

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name 
withdrawn as a cosponsor of H.R. 4006.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.

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