[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H3750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                               FARM BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carter of Louisiana). The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill 
in 2023, I rise today to deliver the fifth installment of my farm bill 
impact series where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill 
that deserve Congress' awareness and support.
  If America is going to thrive, the people who feed, fuel, and clothe 
America must thrive.
  The farm bill strengthens our country's national security because it 
strengthens our food security by supporting the tireless efforts of 
farmers, ranchers, and our agricultural producers.
  Agriculture is a risky business, and Mother Nature can be a tough 
business partner. Almost no other American industry faces such 
volatility from forces like pests, disease, wind, drought, and fires 
like the ones in Reno County, Kansas, and Paradise, Kansas, over the 
last few months.
  Natural disasters are make-or-break situations for the people who 
ensure that America remains the most food secure country in the world. 
That is why emergency programs within the farm bill are so critical.
  The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for 
Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish provide benefits to 
producers for livestock deaths caused by disease and adverse weather.
  A veterinarian from Ashland, Kansas, told me that during the Starbuck 
fire back in 2017, to which he was an emergency responder, Clark 
County, Kansas, alone lost 6,000 to 9,000 head of cattle right at the 
beginning of calving season.
  One producer suffered $1.8 million in cattle losses during this 
disaster. The Livestock Indemnity Program helped producers who lost 
cattle in this disaster put their livelihoods back together.
  However, LIP only covered cattle mortality at the time, not severely 
injured cattle. Rather than watch badly injured cattle get euthanized 
just to trigger LIP program payments, this veterinarian helped make 
changes to the program that are still in place today which provide 
better protection for producers and their livestock.
  These programs, and many more, are investments in the future of our 
country, and they must remain strong in the 2023 farm bill if America 
is going to remain food secure and self-determining as a Nation.
  Natural disasters, diseases, and weather emergencies, unfortunately, 
do happen, and America cannot afford to have these factors cripple the 
businesses of the men and women who keep us fed, fueled, and clothed.
  That is why we need to think carefully and critically about the 
degrees to which we support emergency programs within the 2023 farm 
bill.
  I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my 
farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within 
the bill that Congress must understand and support to ensure that 
agriculture thrives in America.

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