[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9627-H9628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            STRENGTHENING AMERICA'S AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Arrington) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a rural district 
in west Texas that is home to 14 million acres of farmland and 
thousands of hardworking farmers and ranchers. These men and women are 
feeding and clothing the American people. They are bolstering our 
economy and they are strengthening our national security.
  As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to 
delivering results that are in the best interest not only of west 
Texans, but all Americans. I am doing that with my neighbor and strong 
leader of the Ag Committee, Mike Conaway.
  As we craft the next farm bill, there are a few priorities that, if 
achieved, will put our United States farmers and ranchers, and our 
country as a whole, in the strongest competitive position.
  The first is that we must maintain America's food and fiber 
independence from other countries, which, like energy independence, is 
a national security imperative.
  To achieve this objective, we must maintain a viable and responsible 
safety net for all commodities, which means the committee must work in 
a bipartisan way to get cotton back in under title I of the farm bill.
  We can never again let the World Trade Organization dictate 
agriculture policy to the United States.

[[Page H9628]]

  Addressing the gaping hole in the current agriculture safety net for 
cotton and fixing other shortfalls and risk management for both crops 
and livestock will ensure a strong, viable agriculture sector for the 
United States and rural America.
  Ultimately, we must maintain appropriate programs to mitigate against 
unforeseen global market changes and commodity prices, ensure against 
adverse weather events, and maintain access to credit so farmers across 
the country can continue to supply America with abundant and affordable 
sources of food.
  Additionally, as Texas is the top cattle-producing State in the 
Nation and represents $80 billion in annual cash receipts nationwide, 
maintaining key livestock disaster programs are equally important to a 
responsible and effective safety net for our ag producers.
  Second, our rural communities need greater access to broadband 
communications to be viable in the modern era. Increasing access to 
broadband is fundamental to the survival of rural America. It is 
necessary to support critical infrastructure, such as healthcare and 
education, and for overall economic sustainability so that we can 
finally close the digital divide between rural and urban America.
  Let me put it to you this way: no rural America; no food, fuel, and 
fiber for the American people.
  Third, we need another generation of farmers and ranchers. The 
American agriculturist is facing tough times. The average age of a 
farmer is nearly 60 and the number of people involved in ag production 
in their thirties and forties continues to decrease dramatically, with 
less than 1 percent of the American population involved in ag 
production. The math doesn't look promising.
  Operating expenses continue to rise and farmers, particularly the 
young ones, have less equity to finance their operations. Farmers of 
all ages need a dependable and flexible operating loan structure with 
loan amounts that are useful. We must work to ensure that the USDA has 
the flexibility it needs to extend credit in the most meaningful way.
  Fourth, innovation makes it possible for the farmer and rancher to 
continue to operate. Ensuring adequate and equitable research funding 
for agriculture colleges across the country is key.
  Let's not just pour all of our money into land-grant institutions 
just because they are land-grant institutions. Let's fund the best 
ideas. It is call meritocracy. That is what our country was founded on.
  As former vice chancellor of research at Texas Tech University, I saw 
some of the best and most innovative ideas spawned from research go to 
market and make a difference for our economy and the quality of our 
lives.
  Lastly, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program needs a more 
focused accountability. As we craft the next farm bill, we should 
continue to monitor the effectiveness of all programs, especially SNAP, 
which accounts for 80 percent of all spending in the farm bill.
  While the intent is well-meaning, the unintended consequence is an 
increase of recipients who are work-capable adults without dependents, 
accounting for nearly 30 percent of all recipients. It is imperative to 
require that able-bodied adults work in order to receive government 
assistance not just in SNAP, but all government programs.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, our farmers and ranchers are central to the 
vitality and security of this great Nation. This legislation is 
extremely critical to the success of our farmers. By including the 
priorities I have outlined today in the next farm bill, we can ensure a 
safer, stronger, freer America for our children.

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