[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 198 (Monday, December 17, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               FARM BILL

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to applaud my colleagues for 
coming together in a bipartisan fashion to pass the farm bill 
conference report.
  There is much to be excited about in the final version of this 5-year 
reauthorization. First and foremost, the farm bill will bring much 
needed certainty and predictability to farmers and ranchers over the 
next 5 years. This is especially important given the intense pressure 
our agriculture producers are facing.
  If you look at the numbers across the Nation, net farm income is 
approximately half of what it was when we passed the last farm bill. 
Farm bankruptcies are up by 39 percent since 2014; financing has become 
more expensive; commodity prices have plummeted; input costs are 
rising; and the trade outlook is volatile and uncertain, to say the 
least.
  Farmers across the country--regardless of where they call home or 
which crops they grow--are hurting. The farm bill that Congress 
approved last week, delivers meaningful and real relief for our farmers 
and ranchers in these very difficult times. It is the big bill for my 
home State of Arkansas as well as across the country.
  Agriculture is a driving force of the Natural State's economy, adding 
around $16 billion to our economy every year and accounting for 
approximately one in every six jobs. That is why agriculture advocacy 
groups in Arkansas were very excited when we passed the final version.
  The Arkansas Farm Bureau said it was ``pleased that Congress has 
recognized how important the new farm bill is to the hard-working 
farmers and ranchers of this country'' and expressed gratitude that we 
came together ``to pass this critical legislation before the new 
year.''
  The Agricultural Council of Arkansas said it ``cannot stress enough 
the importance of the farm bill and the need for it among Arkansas 
farmers.'' The council went on to add ``a farm bill with meaningful 
support is critical in preventing significant harm to Arkansas farms.''
  The Arkansas Rice Federation said the farm bill will provide 
``certainty in such a variable agricultural climate.''
  Along with strengthening key risk management tools for our farmers, 
the farm bill also helps our rural communities by authorizing key 
economic development and job creation programs. It helps rural 
Arkansans with everything from combating the opioid crisis, to home 
financing, to high-speed internet access.
  Sending this bill to the President is about as important as it gets 
for my State. It would not have been as beneficial to Arkansas farmers 
and ranchers without the diligent efforts of the conference committee 
leadership who worked to ensure that the harmful, arbitrary policy 
changes were excluded from the final conference report. As a result of 
these efforts, family farms are protected from additional regulations 
and unnecessary paperwork.
  I commend Chairmen Roberts and Conway, as well as Ranking Members 
Stabenow and Peterson, for their commitment to make this bill fair and 
equitable to the diverse needs of producers across all regions of the 
country.
  Again, as always, special thanks to the staffs who do so much hard 
work around here to get these things done. It was a heavy lift. They 
worked hard to ensure that we would get this done before adjourning 
this Congress.
  I would also like to thank them for their willingness to include 
provisions that I advocated for in the conference report. The 
elimination of all State performance bonuses in SNAP is something I 
pushed for in the last farm bill. I am pleased that this time we got it 
included. The Federal Government partners with States to administer 
SNAP, but in order to best serve program recipients, the States must be 
good partners. Unfortunately, States have exaggerated their performance 
to receive these bonuses. This policy change saves $48 million per 
year. Is a smart reform that we have made in this bill.
  I was particularly proud that another provision, championed by my 
friend Senator Heitkamp and by me, was included. It would allow trade 
promotion funding for agricultural products to be used in Cuba. This is 
a big win for our farmers and ranchers who have consistently been 
working to open up more access to the Cuban market.
  Cuba imports approximately 80 percent of its food, and our farmers 
and ranchers produce the highest quality, lowest cost, and safest food 
in the world.
  Additionally, I welcomed the inclusion of my provision that clarifies 
the definition of livestock to include live fish for purposes of the 
Department of Transportation's hours of service regulations, as well as 
reauthorization of the ATTRA Program, which does so much to help our 
veterans who want to get started in agriculture, and reauthorization of 
the Delta Regional Authority.
  The farm bill conference report includes a true investment in 
conservation to help the waterfowl in Arkansas, and I was excited to 
see the Century Farms Act that Senator Murphy and I authored was also a 
part of the package.
  With approval of the conference report last week, we are just one 
step away from the farm bill becoming law. President Trump has 
indicated his support of a farm bill that will ensure certainty and 
predictability for producers. We are sending one his way, and I look 
forward to it becoming law.
  With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Will the Senator suspend a moment?

                          ____________________