[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 176 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8284-H8285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SOUTH CAROLINA PEANUT PARITY ACT OF 2017

  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2521) to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 to include South Carolina as a part of the Virginia/Carolina 
peanut producing region for purposes of appointment to the Peanut 
Standards Board.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2521

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``South Carolina Peanut Parity 
     Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. SOUTH CAROLINA INCLUSION IN VIRGINIA/CAROLINA PEANUT 
                   PRODUCING REGION.

       Section 1308(c)(2)(B)(iii) of the Farm Security and Rural 
     Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7958(c)(2)(B)(iii)) is 
     amended by striking ``Virginia and North Carolina'' and 
     inserting ``Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2521, the South Carolina 
Peanut Parity Act of 2017.
  This legislation would allow for a representative of the South 
Carolina peanut industry to be eligible for appointment to the Peanut 
Standards Board, which is tasked with the important role of 
establishing quality and handling standards for domestic and imported 
peanuts.
  At the time the Peanut Standards Board was created, South Carolina 
was not a major peanut-producing State. However, now they are the 
fourth largest peanut-growing State and produce over 8 percent of U.S.-
grown peanuts, and they deserve to have input into the establishment or 
alteration of industry standards. This bill would accomplish that by 
including South Carolina in the Virginia/Carolina peanut-producing 
region for the purpose of appointments to the Peanut Standards Board.
  I want to thank Representative Wilson and the entire South Carolina 
delegation for their work on this legislation. This measure is broadly 
supported by the U.S. peanut industry and the American Farm Bureau 
Federation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2521, the South Carolina Peanut Parity Act 
of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, the 2002 farm bill established the Peanut Standards 
Board to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on quality and handling 
standards for domestically produced and imported peanuts. The board 
consists of 18 members representing three regions: the Southeast, the 
Southwest, and the Virginia/North Carolina region.
  Despite its status as the Nation's fourth largest peanut-producing 
State, South Carolina is not represented on the Peanut Standards Board.
  H.R. 2521, or the South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017, would 
correct this problem by adding South Carolina to the Virginia/North 
Carolina region and making peanut farmers and industry representatives 
from the State eligible for board appointments.
  The legislation has the support of the entire South Carolina 
delegation as well as the support of South Carolina, Virginia, and 
North Carolina peanut growers.
  In conclusion, H.R. 2521 gives South Carolinians a rightful 
opportunity to serve on the Peanut Standards Board.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank 
Congressman Rick Crawford for his leadership today.
  I am grateful to sponsor and support the South Carolina Peanut Parity 
Act of 2017, H.R. 2521. This bipartisan bill is cosponsored by all 
seven Members of the South Carolina delegation. It gives the hard-
working peanut farmers of South Carolina a voice and say on the United 
States Department of Agriculture Peanut Standards Board. South Carolina 
is fortunate to have Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers from Bowman 
for his leadership.
  When the 2002 farm bill created the USDA Peanut Standards Board to 
advise on standards for the handling and quality of peanuts, South 
Carolina was not a substantial peanut grower. Since then, South 
Carolina peanut production has increased significantly, as it now 
produces 8 percent of the United States peanut crop, making the 
Palmetto State the fourth largest peanut-producing State.
  As I have said before, South Carolina appreciates peanuts so much 
that the State legislature has selected the boiled peanut as the 
State's official snack. Each year, I look forward to the Pelion Peanut 
Party festival which celebrates the importance of peanuts which is held 
in Pelion, South Carolina, led by Mayor Barbara Carey.
  The midlands of South Carolina is fortunate to have enterprising 
entrepreneurs promoting boiled peanuts with Four Oaks Farm of Lexington 
owned by the Mathias family and the appreciated Cromer's peanuts of 
Columbia, heralded as ``guaranteed worst in town.'' That is actually 
meant as a compliment.

  My South Carolina colleagues and I are grateful to acknowledge the 
significant increase in the peanut crops in the State and to advocate 
for the increase to be reflected on the Peanut Standards Board. We look 
forward to encouraging peanut farmers in South Carolina creating jobs 
and having their valuable input reflected on the national level.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support today of H.R. 2521.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina 
for his leadership on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina 
(Mr. Norman), a member of the State's delegation.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2521, the 
South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017.
  I am proud to join Representative Joe Wilson, who has been a real 
leader in the area, and the entire South Carolina delegation as a 
cosponsor of the South Carolina Peanut Parity Act of 2017, an important 
bill for South Carolina's peanut farmers. I also commend Harry Ott of 
the Farm Bureau who has been a great leader in this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, South Carolina has experienced explosive growth in 
peanut farming in recent years, going from producing very few peanuts 
in the early 2000s to becoming the fourth largest peanut-producing 
State today, led by Brent Cogdill from Sumter. This legislation will 
finally give South Carolina peanut farmers their much-deserved 
representation on the Peanut Standards Board.

[[Page H8285]]

  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of 
legislation for South Carolina's peanut producers.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
South Carolina for his comments. And to my friend, the gentlewoman from 
Ohio, if only the farm bill was this easy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2521.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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