[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                        NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was National Agriculture Day, a day 
to celebrate the contributions of America's farmers, growers, and 
ranchers.
  These hardworking men and women provide our families with the food, 
fuel, and fiber we need each and every day. According to the USDA, the 
agriculture sector contributed nearly $1.3 trillion to our GDP in 2021 
and accounted for a tenth of all U.S. employment.
  My district in southern Illinois is home to more than 10,000 
producers, and one of the most diverse agricultural districts in the 
region.
  In addition to corn and soybean, southern Illinois produces rice, 
specialty crops, livestock, dairy, wine, and more than one-half of the 
horseradish in the United States.
  But these aren't easy jobs. Farmers are often at the mercy of the 
weather and other factors well beyond their control.
  As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I believe that the 
new farm bill provides us a critical opportunity to put farmers first 
and support programs like crop insurance to strengthen our food 
security.
  I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 235 designating March 21, 2023, as 
National Agriculture Day, and I will continue to fight for our southern 
Illinois farming families every day that I serve in Congress.

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