[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4733-S4734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CRISIS IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to talk about another crisis that 
is occurring in this country. It is not receiving the attention as are 
the storms in Oklahoma, the tornadoes, and the tremendous damage that 
has been wreaked in those States by this set of storms, but it is a 
crisis nonetheless. It is almost a stealth crisis. It is a crisis in 
American agriculture, and I can tell you, it is causing trauma, too.
  In my State, we have just seen a series of headlines in the major 
newspapers that tell the story. I thought I would bring them to the 
attention of my colleagues today so hopefully we can reflect not only 
on the tragedy in Oklahoma and Kansas, but we can reflect on the 
tragedy that is happening in central America, and I mean the central 
America of North Dakota and South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, and 
Kansas--States that have been hard hit by a virtual depression in 
agriculture.
  It is causing real trauma, Mr. President. These headlines tell the 
story. This headline sums it up: ``The rural depression.'' There is a 
real depression in the heartland of America. Prices, the lowest we have 
seen in 50 years, are causing literally thousands of farmers to exit 
agriculture.
  Here is another headline which recently ran in papers back home: 
``Farm prices, farm numbers both fall.''
  And this headline that says: ``Another farm dies; does Washington 
really care?'' That is the question we are going to be asking today and 
we are going to continue to ask as we see this crisis grow and develop 
affecting more and more farm families and starting to affect the small 
towns of our State as well. In fact, this headline says it well: ``AG 
Crisis Is Bigger Than N.D.'' This is an editorial from the largest 
paper in our State pointing out that not only is North Dakota affected 
but other farm States as well.

  This is a headline which ran recently: ``State Loses Farmers.'' And 
one headline which ran, again, in the biggest paper in our State: 
``Crop Prices Are the Problem.'' And indeed they are. ``Crop Prices Are 
the Problem.'' This article says, ``Crop prices, that's the big thing 
wrong with the region's farm picture this year.'' And they are exactly 
right.
  When I mentioned the crisis has moved from the farmstead to the 
streets of North Dakota, this headline tells that story: ``Farm 
Downturn Leaves Main Street Reeling. Three family-run businesses in 
Michigan, North Dakota closed, with little hope of reopening.''
  There is the crisis that is receiving enormous attention in Oklahoma 
and Kansas--and it should have enormous attention. Those people deserve 
for others to understand what is happening and the suffering they are 
experiencing.
  There is another crisis as well, and that is the crisis in farm 
country. Those people are suffering. And they deserve attention as 
well.
  Let me just show another chart which goes right to the heart of the 
problem we are facing. This shows what has happened to farm prices from 
1946 to 1998 for wheat and barley. You can see from the prices--this is 
1998--it has even gotten worse. We go out to 1999, and these prices 
continue to decline in real terms. We have the lowest prices now for 
these commodities in 52 years. This is a crisis by any definition.
  I just want to conclude by going back to what one of the articles 
said in the papers back home. This says: ``Banks' Survey Shows Farm 
Income Dwindling.'' In this article they say, ``The vice is tightening 
on farm borrowers in the Upper Great Plains. The outlook for farm 
income is grim unless commodity prices increase.''
  Mr. President, that is exactly the case. We face a tightening noose 
around the necks of literally thousands of farm families, and it is 
time for a response from the Federal Government. We need to pass the 
disaster supplemental. We need to make the last disaster program we 
passed whole, because we now know it will cost $1.5 billion more to 
keep the promise which was made in that disaster program. We need to 
once again shore up the transition payments that are promised farmers 
under the new farm bill at this time of price collapse.
  Those are steps we can take, we need to take, we must take. In 
addition, we should reform crop insurance, because we know that program 
does not work when you have multiple years of disaster.
  I just close by saying once again, I hope America is listening and 
understands that there are tragedies occurring across the United 
States. We have a tragedy in Oklahoma, a tragedy in Kansas, and we 
ought to respond.
  There are also tragedies that are occurring below the radar screen. 
They are not getting the attention of the national press. They are a 
crisis nonetheless, and we ought to respond to them as well.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  Mr. President, I know my colleague from Montana is waiting to speak.
  I inquire of the Parliamentarian, how much time do we have remaining 
on our side?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Five minutes 15 seconds are remaining.
  Mr. CONRAD. I just ask my colleague from the State of Montana if he 
would like that additional 5 minutes. I would be happy to yield to him 
at this point.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Would the Senator from Montana----
  Mr. GRAMM. Reserving the right to object, may I hear the request 
again?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The inquiry was whether the Senator from 
Montana desires time.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I appreciate the inquiry of the Senator 
from North Dakota. I would, but I want to accommodate the manager of 
the bill, too. I would like, at some time in the next hour or two, to 
speak for 15 minutes.
  Mr. GRAMM addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. GRAMM. To accommodate the Senator, why don't we just take 5 
minutes off each side. We are going to have the vote at noon, so we 
will have less time. Senator Sarbanes and I had an opportunity to plow 
this ground in some depth, so why don't we yield to the distinguished 
Senator 10 minutes now, and then we will begin the debate on the 
financial services modernization bill.
  Mr. BAUCUS. If I might try once more for 15.
  Mr. SARBANES. I yield the Senator another 5 minutes.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Thank you very much.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. So the Record is clear, the Senator from 
Montana will have 15 minutes--10 minutes

[[Page S4734]]

from the Democratic side, 5 minutes from the majority side.
  The Senator from Montana is recognized for 15 minutes.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I thank very much not only my good friend 
from North Dakota but my good friend from Texas, Senator Gramm, and my 
good friend from Maryland, Senator Sarbanes.

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