[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HELP AMERICA'S FARMERS & RANCHERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JO ANN EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 14, 1999

  Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the continuing 
crisis in the farm economy and share with this body a copy of a letter 
I recently received from a constituent in my Congressional Distirct. 
America's farmers and ranchers are strugglign to deal with some of the 
lowest commodity prices in decades. Current commodity prices do not 
even allow farmers to recover their costs of production, much less 
provide for the needs of their families. When one considers that 
drought and other damaging weather conditions are also dramatically 
affecting our crop and livestock production, it is clear that this is 
nothing short of an emergency situation. And the following letter from 
a constituent of mine reminds all of us that this situation goes well 
beyond mere numbers, projections, and statistics. The fact of the 
matter is that real people are hurting; the livelihoods of real 
families and real communities are at risk. This letter from Mr. Bill 
Faris of Hayti, Missouri, the son of a farmer and someone whose family 
has farmed for generations, highlights the depth of the problems in 
farm country and explains why all Americans should be gravely concerned 
about what is happening out on the farm. I hope Members of Congress 
will keep Mr. Faris' comments in mind as they vote on farm relief 
measures that will be considered very soon.

                                                       Bill Faris,
                                       Hayti, MO, August 25, 1999.
     Rep. Jo Ann Emerson,
     The Federal Building,
     Cape Girardeau, MO.
       Dear Rep. Emerson, This is a follow up to my earlier 
     letters to you. I had the opportunity to hear you speak at 
     the Rice Field Day on Aug. 18th as I work for the Univ. of MO 
     Delta Center. I was encouraged by what you had to say as you 
     are addressing the central issues facing farmers during this 
     crisis, and it is obvious that you are truly concerned about 
     the plight of our family farmers, and you are taking action 
     to try and help our smaller farmers.
       I want you to know I appreciate your efforts on behalf of 
     farmers like my Dad. Unfortunately it is too late for my Dad 
     as I am afraid it will be for many farmers this year.
       Dad and I talked the other day, and he told me that he 
     cannot farm after this year. Dad told me that he lost a 
     little over $50,000 last year due to the low commodity prices 
     and adverse weather conditions and he knows that he will lose 
     more this year then last year. At 72, after a lifetime of 
     doing what he loves the most, farming, Dad knows he has to 
     quit before he loses his home and our farm land. Dad said 
     over the last five years he has used more and more of the 
     money he had put back for his and my Mom's retirement to 
     continue farming, but now he has to quit before he loses it 
     all.
       Ms. Emerson, it broke my heart to see the pain and 
     frustration on my Dad's face, but it especially broke my 
     heart to see the helplessness in my Dad's eyes, and to know 
     that there was nothing I could do to help ease Dad's pain. 
     The generations of Faris's farming the land end with my Dad. 
     My Dad is a proud man, and he does not cry easily, but I 
     could see the tears in his eyes as he looked over our land 
     with the resignation that he would never farm it again.
       Ms. Emerson, the really sad part of this story is that it 
     will be repeated over and over again at the end of 1999. I 
     fear that thousands of family farms will cease to exist, just 
     as ours will.
       I sense a helplessness and a lack of hope in our areas 
     farmers, that I have never seen before. All the farmers laugh 
     with no humor at President Clinton's announcement that many 
     farmers are now eligible for low interest loans. Their 
     standard commit is ``what good is a no interest loan let 
     alone a low interest loan when you are losing money each 
     year.'' Their attitude is that our government seems to want 
     the small farmer to disappear and all we will have left is 
     large corporate farms controlled by a few large 
     conglomerates, and I tend to agree with them.
       My Dad is not a large farmer; he only farms 500 acres of 
     wheat and soybeans, but his story is sadly going to be 
     repeated over and over again in 1999. Dad is an excellent 
     businessman, and he is one of the most frugal people I know, 
     but low commodity prices have forced him out of farming. On 
     average Dad lost approximately $100 per acre in 1998, and 
     he will lose approximately that much again in 1999. Cotton 
     growers will lose more than that, so you can see what a 
     larger farmer will lose. Our pork producers are facing the 
     same dilemmas as you well know.
       Congress must act now, Ms. Emerson, or a way of life that 
     is very dear to me will disappear. Give our farmers 
     legislation that gives them a level playing field in the 
     world markets. Farmers do not need rhetoric from Washington; 
     they need help, and they need it now.
       I hope you get a chance to address this issue at our Field 
     Day on Sept. 2nd, and I hope that you can give our farmers 
     some much needed encouragement. I am from Missouri, and our 
     legislators have to show me that they truly care about the 
     plight of our small family farms. I know that you care 
     because you are doing something, please keep up the good work 
     and please keep telling our farmer's story in Washington.
       I do not believe many of our legislators realize how 
     serious the problem is, but I know you do.
       Again thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of our 
     farmers, and I wish you health and happiness--especially in 
     your new marriage.
           Respectfully yours,
                                                       Bill Faris.

     

                          ____________________