[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 45 (Monday, April 22, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S3012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY IN OREGON

 Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, I come to the floor today 
on the occasion of Earth Day, which was first officially recognized 32 
years ago. I can assure you, however, that the spirit of Earth Day has 
been in bold practice for generations in my home State of Oregon, where 
the words of John Jay ring true: ``this land and these people were made 
for each other.''
  What is unique about Oregon is that, for so many, there is a profound 
connection between the products and comforts of our daily lives and 
where those products ultimately came from. In Oregon, it is difficult 
to forget that the wood our homes are built of came first from a 
forest, a forest that was harvested and has since been regenerated. We 
know that the food we buy for our families at grocery stores came first 
from a farm, a farm most likely owned and operated by another family 
not unlike our own. Oregonians can easily remember these things because 
the forests and the farms are not in some distant region, they are 
right down the road.
  Down those countryside and mountain roads, you will find Oregon's 
first and finest environmentalists: generations of fishers, farmers and 
foresters who learned long ago that Oregon's rich natural resources 
could be perpetually sustained through careful stewardship and 
innovation.
  Down one of those roads, near The Dalles, you will find the Baileys, 
who were recently given the American Farmland Trust's Steward of the 
Land Award. The Bailey's orchard was established in 1923, and 
successive members of the Bailey family have continued to use the 
latest research and technology to minimize the farm's impact on the 
land and water. The Baileys initiated an Integrated Fruit Production 
program for their trees, which includes efficient and responsible pest 
management, irrigation practices and control of weeds without residual 
herbicides.
  They have also been strong advocates of preserving farmland and 
agricultural communities. For the Baileys and so many others, the 
values of the farm go far beyond the safe and affordable food they 
provide, but also extends to the scenic open space, wildlife habitat 
and filters for clean air and water that the farm provides.
  The growing awareness of those values has finally reached the 
policymakers in this country. I am eager and hopeful that a balanced 
agreement on this year's Farm Bill will include a landmark commitment 
to cost-share and incentive payments for farm stewardship practices, as 
outlined in the Harkin-Smith Conservation Security Act. When that 
investment is made, we will have taken a bold step toward recognizing 
and rewarding all the Baileys of this country, and ensuring that there 
are many more to come.

                          ____________________