[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 125 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H8079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       START HELPING OUR FARMERS

  (Mr. NETHERCUTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, ``if American agriculture does not grow, 
it dies.'' Those are the words of the current Secretary of Agriculture.
  I represent a district with some of the richest farmland in America, 
the 5th district of Washington State. I know firsthand that the growth 
of world markets for Washington wheat and other commodities is 
essential to the survival of our farmers.
  Secretary Glickman's words do not match the actions or, better said, 
the inactions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Our government has 
failed miserably to aggressively address the increasingly aggressive 
trade policies of competing nations which are glad to help their 
farmers capture markets abroad. Yet our government does not use the 
tools Congress made available to this administration to allow our 
farmers to compete against other governments who help their farmers.
  This administration cuts agriculture research funding, opposes free 
market farmer assistance, will not use the export enhancement program, 
resist tax relief for farmers, and slashes the Foreign Market 
Development Program.
  Mr. Secretary, please start helping our farmers.

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