[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 102 (Thursday, July 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1707-E1708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. RICK LARSEN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 8, 2009

        The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union has under consideration the bill (H.R. 2997) making 
     appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other 
     purposes.
  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
Flake amendment to cut potato research.
  Potatoes are an important part of our national diet and potato 
farming is an important part of our national economy.
  The $1 million included in this bill for Potato Research goes 
directly to developing potato varieties that provide profitable, 
sustainable production for the grower, and a healthy, inexpensive food 
supply for American consumers.
  In Skagit County in my district, over 13,000 acres are devoted to 
potatoes.
  However, late blight disease is a constant threat to my local 
farmers, and growers use the research provided them by this program to 
minimize their losses.
  Washington state is second only behind Idaho in potato production in 
the country producing over 9 billion pounds of potatoes every year.
  The economic value of the potato industry to Washington is 
approximately $3.5 billion supporting nearly 20,000 farming jobs. These 
jobs can be found across our state, and it is critical that we protect 
them.
  The potato breeding program in the Pacific Northwest, the target of 
this amendment, is a partnership among the USDA Agricultural Research 
Service, the University of Idaho, Oregon State University, Washington 
State University, and the potato commissions of the three states.
  For every dollar invested in the Northwest Tri-State Potato breeding 
program, a value of

[[Page E1708]]

$39 results in improved quality and increased production.
  Mr. Speaker, this funding is important to my district, my state, and 
our country--and I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

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