[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 34 (Thursday, March 21, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E397-E398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF FARM SECURITY ACT UNTIL NEXT YEAR

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                          HON. J. RANDY FORBES

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 20, 2002

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I understand that yesterday the lead 
negotiators for the

[[Page E398]]

Farm Bill informed us that they would ``be in a position to make the 
final farm bill decisions in public meetings of the Conference the week 
of April 9,'' according to a joint statement released by the top 
conferees.
  April 9th is far too late to begin implementing this complex 
legislation, as was March 22nd or even January 1st, and I believe that 
it is now essential to delay implementation of the Farm Security Act 
until next year.
  The planting season has already begun in many states across the 
country. As each day passes by without a new bill, America's farmers 
are digging themselves into deeper and deeper holes.
  We all know that farmers are not just planters, but planners, and 
most farmers thought it to be vitally important to have the farm bill 
in place at the end of last year. Now that it may be mid-summer before 
the USDA is effectively able to administer the provisions in the new 
Farm Bill, it could prove to be overwhelmingly detrimental for our 
agricultural community, especially in southeastern Virginia.
  In addition to helping the farmers by delaying the bill one more 
year, we will be saving the government an estimated $299 million 
dollars by delaying the new ``peanut subsidy program'' and continuing 
to use the current system, which has no net cost to the government.
  A Farm Bill is certainly needed, but the timing is important. 
Implementing the new Farm Bill this late in the season would be an 
incredible injustice to our farmers.

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