[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1920-S1921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AGRICULTURE DISASTER ASSISTANCE

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to bring attention to an 
issue Washington, and the American public, too often take for granted--
something that is near and dear to my heart, and a part of my heritage. 
I am talking about American agriculture. This country needs a wake-up 
call. Americans believe that their bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes are 
raised somewhere in the back of the local grocery store. As the 
daughter of a seventh generation Arkansas farm family, I know where our 
food supply is produced. It is grown in rural communities by families 
working from dusk until dawn to make ends meet. Unfortunately, too many 
in Washington continue to pay lip-service to our Nation's agricultural 
industry without actually providing them the tools and assistance they 
need to sustain their way of life.
  I recognize the hurt that is evident in our agricultural communities. 
I know that commodity prices are at record lows and input costs, 
including fertilizer, energy, and fuel, are at record highs. No 
corporation in the world could make it today receiving the same prices 
it received during the Great Depression, yet, we are asking our farmers 
to do just that.
  I am here to enlighten this body on the needs of our agricultural 
community. And it is my intention to come to the Senate floor often 
this year to highlight various issues affecting our Nation's farmers 
and ranchers.
  In the interest of fairness, I will give credit where credit is due. 
In recent years, Congress has recognized that farmers are suffering, 
and we have delivered emergency assistance to our struggling 
agricultural community. Arkansas' farmers could not have survived 
without this help. Nearly 40 percent of net farm income came from 
direct Government payments during the 2000 crop year. The trouble with 
this type of ad hoc approach is that farmers and creditors across this 
country never really know how or when the Government is going to step 
in and help them.
  Many of my farmers are scared to death that the assistance that has 
been available in the past will be absent this year because the tax cut 
and other spending programs have a higher priority.
  I will highlight my frustration with our Nation's farm policy in the 
near future, but today I want to bring the Senate's attention to a 
matter that should have been handled long ago, yet still remains 
unaddressed. Our farmers need the disaster assistance that Congress 
provided last Fall. President Clinton signed the FY 2001 Agriculture 
Appropriations Act on October 28, 2000. Included in this legislation 
was an estimated $1.6 billion in disaster payments for 2000 crop losses 
due to weather-related damages. These payments are yet to arrive in the 
farmer's mailbox. My phone lines are lit up with calls from farmers and 
bankers asking me when these payments are going to arrive. In the 
South, our growing season begins earlier than many parts of the 
country, and our farmers could head to the field right now to begin 
work on the 2001 crop, if they just had their operating loan. The 
trouble is, many of them are unable to cash flow a loan for 2001 
because they still await USDA assistance to pay off the banker for last 
year's disaster.
  I reference the South's growing season because many of our farm State 
Senators are from the Midwest, and

[[Page S1921]]

they may not be hearing the same desperation that I am hearing. Their 
farmers are in no better shape, but they are not yet trying to put the 
2001 crop in the ground. Arkansas farmers have been wringing their 
hands all winter trying to determine if it is worth it to try one more 
year. They are literally on the brink of bankruptcy and are weighing 
whether it is worth exposing themselves to more potential financial 
loss. These are not bad businessmen. They have survived the 
agricultural turmoil of the 1980s because they practice efficient 
production techniques and are sound managers. They have simply been 
dealt an unbelievably difficult hand and are trying to figure out how 
they can stay in the game. Some have already lost the battle. I have 
heard of more respected Arkansas farmers closing their shop doors and 
selling the family farm than ever before. Farm auction notifications 
fill the backs of agricultural publications.
  Established, long time farmers are crying for help. A typical 
example, a farmer from Almyra, Arkansas recently wrote to me asking for 
help. He has been farming rice and soybeans in southeast Arkansas for 
almost 30 years. Like many others, he wanted Congress to know that 
government assistance is vitally needed. He and other farmers would 
prefer to get their income from the marketplace, but most of all, he 
just wants to stay in business.
  The repercussions of losing people like this good farmer will have a 
drastic effect on our rural communities. To ignore agriculture's plight 
is to ignore rural America. Without farmers, the lifeblood of small 
towns like Almyra, Arkansas will be lost, and I fear never regained.
  Around 800 to 1,100 farmers apply for Chapter 12 bankruptcy each 
year. The average age of the American farmer is getting older every 
year because young men and women simply do not see a future in 
agriculture production. I am reminded of a joke that my father used to 
tell me about the farmer who won the lottery. When a reporter asked him 
what he was going to do with all that money, he replied ``Farm 'til 
it's gone!'' Unfortunately, that joke is not too far from the truth 
these days.

  We have a responsibility to provide a better agricultural policy for 
our nation's producers. As I stated earlier, I will address my specific 
frustrations with the current farm bill at a later date. Today, I am 
pleading that the disaster assistance we passed last Fall be delivered 
to the farmers as soon as possible.
  I have written and urged President Bush to expedite this situation. I 
stressed the importance of quick action on this issue to Secretary 
Veneman in both private meetings and during her confirmation hearing. I 
contacted the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging them to act 
promptly on the rules that must be finalized to begin the payment 
process. For all the farmers listening out there, don't hold your local 
FSA offices accountable. Their hands are tied just like yours. They 
await the rules and procedures for disaster assistance distribution 
just like you do. The responsibility lies right here in Washington, DC. 
Specifically, OMB, is responsible for finalizing the rules. I'm sure 
they are working hard to get the ball rolling, but we need action 
today. Not tomorrow, not next week, but today!
  I call upon the Administration to deliver the disaster assistance to 
the farmers. Congress did its part last fall. It is now imperative that 
the Administration take care of things on their end. Unfortunately, 
this situation is nothing new. The last Administration was less than 
quick about implementing disaster programs as well. But that is no 
excuse, farmers need the help now. Dotting the ``i's'' and crossing the 
``t's'' in the required paper work should not take months to 
accomplish.
  For countless farmers across the nation, I call on the President to 
please expedite this matter.
  I look forward to many further discussions on the Senate floor about 
the plight of the American farmer.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wisconsin.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be 
allowed to speak for 10 minutes as in morning business, notwithstanding 
the previous agreement. I thank the chairman of the Budget Committee 
for his courtesy.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, with this agreement, what is the time 
arrangement after he finishes?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico was to be 
recognized at 10:30. He was to be recognized for 10 minutes. Under a 
unanimous consent request, Senator Feinstein took an additional 5 
minutes. If the Senator from New Mexico objects to it, then he will be 
recognized at 10:30. If he doesn't, the Senator from Wisconsin will be 
recognized for 10 minutes.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I had only 10 minutes in any event, did I not?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 15 minutes.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to object 
at this point, and I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak 
for 15 minutes when my time comes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Wisconsin.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished chairman of 
the Budget Committee.

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