[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 18, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H3745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FARRM ACT WILL SERVE AMERICA WELL

  (Mr. ROONEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ROONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the 2013 FARRM 
Bill, which will help ensure a safe, affordable, and abundant food 
supply for all Americans. I represent one of the largest agricultural 
districts east of the Mississippi, and I'm proud to represent Florida's 
dairy and vegetable farmers, citrus and sugar growers, and beef cattle 
ranchers. This bill will serve them well, and it will serve Florida's 
taxpayers well, too.
  The FARRM Bill includes much-needed reforms to agricultural programs. 
It provides relief from unnecessary Federal mandates. It saves the 
taxpayers $35 billion and reduces the size of government by eliminating 
or consolidating more than 100 programs.
  In particular, I am pleased that this bill addresses the growing 
problem in my district of citrus disease. Diseases like greening have 
already wiped out over one-quarter of the citrus acreage in Florida. If 
we don't reverse this trend soon, we won't have enough crop to sustain 
our existing processing plants, and the problem will only spiral from 
there. Florida will lose jobs and our economy will suffer. But this 
will impact all Americans, because if Florida isn't growing oranges, 
you won't be putting orange juice on your breakfast table.
  Mr. Speaker, if we want to have a safe, abundant, and affordable food 
supply, we need to pass the FARRM Bill.

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