[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 64 (Monday, April 15, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2388-H2395]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     FARMERS, RANCHERS, FORESTERS, AND CONSUMERS DESERVE CERTAINTY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Strong). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Thompson) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority 
leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of 
this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, turmoil in the Middle East 
heightened over the weekend, and my prayers are with all involved. I 
trust our Nation's leadership can rise to the task at hand.
  However, in another matter of food and national security, this 
evening I am taking the opportunity to discuss how farmers, ranchers, 
foresters, and consumers deserve certainty.
  Agriculture remains the backbone of America, but our Nation's 
dedicated producers have been burdened with fractured supply chains, 
considerable input costs, relentless inflation, natural disasters, 
volatile markets, and labor shortages.
  Each is consistently worsened by ill-conceived, half-baked executive 
action by our own elected bureaucrats in Washington.
  Our Nation's farmers are bearing the brunt of it. Adding insult to 
injury, we are now a net importer facing the most significant decline 
in farm income in our history.
  Farmers impact our everyday lives, so how do we support those who 
provide so much to our families, to our Nation, and to our world? The 
answer is a 5-year farm bill.
  The Committee on Agriculture spent the last 3 years listening to 
concerns of America's producers and turning their words into 
legislation.
  We have received input, ideas, and suggestions from stakeholders and 
members alike through our public portals and listening sessions across 
the country. Through this transparent and exhaustive process, we have 
produced a bipartisan product that will provide effective tools to our 
producers by bolstering the safety net, strengthening nutrition 
programs and access opportunities, and revitalize rural America.
  Since our last farm bill was passed in 2018, our producers have faced 
countless challenges. The needs of farm country are self-evident. We 
have developed a bill to meet them and a responsibility to fund them. 
For nearly a year, I have tried to educate my colleagues, and the hand-
holding has yielded nothing.
  My colleagues and I are here tonight to showcase our work and show 
that House Republicans have done their job.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller), and I 
appreciate his service on the House Agriculture Committee.
  Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
to me for this evening's Special Order.
  I would like to emphasize the importance of passing an updated farm 
bill that supports our agriculture industry by strengthening the farm 
safety net, bolsters rural economies, and meets the growing food 
security and affordability difficulties that are impacting American 
families.
  Mr. Speaker, agriculture and food-related industries are responsible 
for almost $1.4 trillion of the United States gross domestic product, 
yet American farmers--specifically farmers in my district--face 
daunting challenges in providing a stable and affordable food supply to 
our Nation.
  In Ohio, I have heard farmers' and ranchers' concerns about continued 
inflationary pressures, regulatory hurdles, limited trade markets, 
animal health, and a broad range of other issues.
  Through the House Agricultural Committee's busy schedule over the 
past 16 months, I have seen the importance of policies that keep the 
farm safety net strong, incentivize conservation, encourage innovative 
research initiatives, support specialty crops, allow farmers to grow 
our energy resources, and much more.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States Department of Agriculture recently 
reported that our Nation has lost over 140,000 farms in the last 5 
years. This is unsustainable. The USDA's most recent Farm Income 
Forecast reflects the urgent need to act. The report anticipates a 25 
percent decrease in farm income from 2023 to 2024, one of the largest 
year-to-year dollar reductions in net farm income on record.
  Failure to pass an updated farm bill could exacerbate these already 
growing problems and have a devastating impact on our economy and food 
supply chains.
  The United States food and agricultural sector has an economic output 
of over $8.6 trillion and cannot afford to wait. I hope that my 
colleagues will recognize the magnitude of these issues and help us to 
pass a sound farm bill quick.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his leadership and dedication to America, and I know Ohio's number one 
industry.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann), the 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership of 
our committee in this effort.
  I rise to call on this Congress to pass a comprehensive 5-year farm 
bill. This is my 25th time to come to the House floor to address the 
importance of a 5-year farm bill that is long enough to provide 
certainty and short enough to respond to the market changes and 
strengthen the safety net. America's farmers, ranchers, and 
agricultural producers deserve it, America's food and national security 
depend on it, and this Congress must deliver it.
  In the almost 5\1/2\ years since the last farm bill was signed into 
law, the world has drastically changed. Since 2018, we have experienced 
a global pandemic, seen a war unfold between Russia and Ukraine and now 
Israel and Hamas, and witnessed President Biden's failed trade agenda 
cause market fluctuations that no one could have imagined.

  On top of that, President Biden's spending spree and senseless war on 
American energy has driven inflation to historic levels. No matter how 
many times the administration officials and political pundits say that 
input costs and inflation rates are coming down, our ag producers know 
that these levels are still sky high in comparison to the last farm 
bill in 2018.
  As Congress considers these conditions, we must also anticipate 
future

[[Page H2389]]

market fluctuations as best we can. That is why my priorities for the 
farm bill are to strengthen and protect crop insurance, incentivize 
agriculture trade, and conduct rigorous oversight.
  Last year's drought and market conditions caused producers in Kansas 
to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since World War I, and 
I witnessed a 35 percent decrease in annual wheat harvested per acre in 
my district.
  A good crop insurance program and strong safety net help ag producers 
in situations like these and help producers reliably stock our grocery 
store shelves, maintain a robust food supply, and keep people fed. It 
is one of our Nation's best examples of a private-public partnership, 
and Congress must use a scalpel and not a sledgehammer when ensuring 
its continued success for generations to come.
  Ag trade promotion helps America remain competitive and secure, as 
well. Back in February, I introduced legislation which would allocate 
additional resources to trade promotion programs in the farm bill.
  Between 1977 and 2019, these trade programs added a 13.7 percent of 
additional export revenue to the value of U.S. ag products and helped 
to create more than half a million American jobs.
  It is no secret that perhaps more than any other profession ag 
producers face endless hurdles as they work tirelessly to raise our 
livestock, grow our food, and put fuel in our cars. This next farm bill 
must not handicap them with additional overly restrictive regulations. 
Instead, Congress must get out of their way and support them with the 
tools they need to protect the future of American food and agriculture.
  If you think about a safety net, the higher the risk the higher the 
fall, and the stronger the safety net that you need to survive. The 
livelihoods of American producers and consumers are on the line right 
now, and that means our food security and national security are on the 
line, as well.
  American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers need certainty 
like never before, and Congress must deliver for them with a 5-year 
farm bill.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 
from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra).
  Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, the farm bill continues to be a vital 
investment to our producers, our competition with China, and our 
American economy. An important component of this farm bill is the crop 
insurance program.
  Before coming to Congress, I sold crop insurance in my hometown of 
Hull, Iowa. I can confidently say that this program is a crucial piece 
to the safety net of the farming community.
  When severe whether strikes like we had in Iowa with a derecho 
several years ago, the economy can take a turn very quickly. Crop 
insurance protects that farmer during the most unpredictable times.
  That is why we must pass the farm bill that includes this robust 
investment in Federal crop insurance programs. I was proud to introduce 
legislation that would help deliver a discount to help the next 
generation of Iowa farmers who utilize this important management tool.
  With nearly 40 percent of American farmland expected to change hands 
in the next two decades, this bill will make investments to the next 
generation and not allow our farmland to fall into the hands of our 
foreign adversaries.
  My bill and the farm bill at large will help keep families rooted in 
rural communities, continue Iowa's proud tradition of farm families, 
and keep China away from our farmland.

                              {time}  2000

  I represent the second-largest agriculture-producing district in the 
country. It has over 50,000 active farm crop insurance policies.
  I will continue to be a strong voice for agriculture and ensure that 
we pass a strong farm bill for Iowa and the Nation that enhances crop 
insurance and assists the next generation.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership. I look 
forward to working with my colleagues to get this farm bill passed this 
year to provide certainty for our farmers, producers, and rural 
communities.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his leadership in agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Finstad), 
who serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign 
Agriculture, and Horticulture.
  Mr. FINSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, as a proud fourth-generation farmer raising the fifth 
generation, I know firsthand the importance of writing and passing a 
strong farm bill that is written by farmers for farmers, written by 
rural America for rural America.
  Without farmers' hard work and dedication, we would not have the 
safe, affordable, nutritious food that stocks our shelves every day.
  Food security is national security. Through strong farm policy, we 
will limit our dependence on foreign countries and maintain the most 
abundant and highest quality food supply in the world.
  In recent years, the ag industry has faced increased volatility as a 
result of the COVID-19 pandemic, weather-related disasters, and 
international conflict.
  Today, the producers I represent in southern Minnesota are dealing 
with sky-high import costs and increased regulatory burdens, as well as 
a 27-percent decline in net farm income and a $30 billion ag trade 
deficit, creating a highly leveraged financial environment in farm 
country.
  The farm bill provides our farmers with a roadmap of what the next 5 
years of farm policy will look like, and it is critical that we act to 
protect our family farmers and ensure that they can pass their 
operations down to that next generation.
  Our farmers are part of one of the most honorable professions, and as 
only 2 percent of the American population, we must provide farm country 
with the support it needs.
  Chairman Thompson as well as the House Agriculture Committee has been 
working tirelessly to write a farm bill that meets their needs and the 
needs of all Americans.
  I am committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with my colleagues in 
Congress and the ag community to pass a farm bill that will shape the 
future of farm policy, including protecting and strengthening crop 
insurance, farmers number one risk management tool; revitalizing rural 
America; improving voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs; 
and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership and the 
direction that he provides to the Ag Committee, and I am ready to go to 
work with him.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Rose), who represents Tennessee's Sixth 
Congressional District.
  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, in America, we can almost always count on the grocery 
stores' shelves being full. Too often, many overlook just how blessed 
we are to live in a country with such an abundance of food.
  Today, as Americans, we enjoy the most abundant, affordable, and safe 
supply of food in the history of humankind. That is because of the 
farmers, ranchers, producers, and suppliers who put in the hours and 
take the risks to produce the food and fiber we count on.
  It is also in part because of the farm safety net programs included 
in the farm bill that ensure that we continue producing enough to feed 
American citizens.
  As an eighth-generation Tennessee farmer and former Tennessee 
commissioner of agriculture, I can attest that programs in the farm 
bill, like the Federal crop insurance program, are critical to ensuring 
we maintain an abundant and affordable supply of food in the United 
States.
  These farm safety net programs provide risk protection and income 
support for farmers who experience natural disasters, adverse growing 
conditions, and fluctuations in market prices.
  We must remember in these times of rampant inflation and ever -rising 
prices for farm inputs that our farmers are price takers. They don't 
have the luxury of passing their rising input costs on in the form of 
higher prices.
  The crop insurance program specifically helps farmers pay their 
private insurance premiums, which are often too expensive for small 
family farmers.

[[Page H2390]]

  In 2021, premium assistance covered 62 percent of premiums, on 
average, for those who qualified. This assistance is available for most 
field crops, several specialty crops, and some livestock producers.
  However, in their current form, these programs are far from perfect 
and far from meeting the growing needs of our Nation's producers. 
Emergency assistance and routine support payments are often determined 
by arbitrary and outdated formulas. It is why this proposed farm bill 
makes these programs more adaptive to inflation. Rising input costs 
continue to burden our Nation's farms, big and small, which is why the 
enhancement in this bill will improve the farm safety net for our 
farmers and agricultural producers.
  I am committed to improving these commodity programs by increasing 
reference prices and creating a more robust crop insurance program.
  Congress has the ability to update our farm policy by crafting a 
bipartisan farm bill that aligns the safety net with the needs of 
producers, expands market access, and strengthens program operations to 
demand transparency and accountability for the American taxpayer.

  In a divided Congress, this would be a major win for the American 
people and the Tennesseans I represent. Throughout the farm bill 
process, I have remained committed, as have my colleagues, to 
delivering for them.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his persistence and dedication 
to ensure our farmers are not left behind.
  Rest assured, Republicans in the House Agriculture Committee will not 
quit working on passing this bill until the job is done. You have our 
word because it is the very least our farmers who work day in and day 
out deserve.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 
from Washington (Mr. Newhouse), who represents Washington's Fourth 
Congressional District and also serves as the chair of our Western 
Caucus, which is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to rural 
issues and the shared dedication toward those rural issues with the 
Agriculture Committee.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for those kind 
remarks on the Congressional Western Caucus, and I thank him for being 
such a strong member of the Western Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of a farm bill 
that addresses the needs, the priorities, and the concerns of rural 
America.
  As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, and probably even 
more importantly as a third-generation farmer myself, my son being now 
the fourth generation, I know the difficulties farmers and ranchers 
face in day-to-day operations.
  Agriculture is the lifeblood of our Nation. The government's role 
should be to support the agricultural industry and their efforts to 
feed and fuel our country. The farm bill does just that.
  Today, farmers and ranchers understand all too well the consequences 
of a heavy-handed Federal bureaucracy.
  Today, we are at a crossroads. We are being pushed to the limits. 
Agricultural operations, both large and small, have been impacted by 
excessive regulations and tax burdens that have proved challenging for 
everyday life.
  That is why, at this critical moment, we cannot turn our backs on the 
men and women who have made American agriculture successful.
  Western Caucus members have been consistent about their priorities 
for a successful farm bill. These include supporting production 
agriculture in every way possible, improving voluntary conservation 
programs to ensure that those closest to the land can manage it the way 
that they know the best, enhancing forest health and management, and 
strengthening America's rural communities through investment and 
development.
  Throughout this entire process, I have been impressed with the 
Agriculture Committee's attention to producing the best farm bill 
possible.
  I have been especially encouraged by Chairman Thompson's due 
diligence to go out to gather community perspectives, evaluate current 
programs, and advocate for policies to be included in the legislation 
with rural America first and foremost in mind. He has been to my State 
several times. I think he has been to almost every single State in the 
Union.
  Under Chairman Thompson's leadership, the committee has strived to 
produce a comprehensive and effective farm bill that accomplishes many 
of the priorities that the Western Caucus members advocate for.
  This legislation will send a message to America's farmers and 
ranchers that we will still have their backs, and I will continue to 
support them just as they support our Nation.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Washington State (Mr. Newhouse). I thank him for his hospitality, too, 
and for being able to tour his farming operation and a lot of others 
while I was there.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn), who 
represents Iowa's Third Congressional District and is a great champion 
and advocate for America's number one industry, which is agriculture.
  Mr. NUNN of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson as well as 
our colleagues on the Ag Committee.
  As a sixth-generation Iowan and part of a Century Family Farm, 
collectively, we know the hands, hearts, and hard work of Iowa farmers 
who feed and fuel the world.
  Every Iowan is impacted by this upcoming farm bill and the 
agriculture policy that is included, whether it is part of the supply 
chain, in the grocery store checkout line, or at the dinner table, as 
I, with my six kids, know very well, based on our grocery bills.
  Unfortunately, input costs are up, surging 35 percent in recent 
years, and inflation is driving those profits down. We know this: 
Farmers are not price makers. They are price takers. Too often, as the 
chairman has highlighted, they end up bearing the brunt of those cost 
increases.
  It was reported earlier this year that Iowa pork producers alone are 
experiencing their worst losses in 25 years amid a difficult economy. 
Producers are facing enough difficulties without worrying about D.C. 
being the one that hurts their business. They deserve far better than 
to be saddled with the consequences of politicians here in D.C. who 
might not be doing their job.
  That is why it is important that we must pass a bipartisan farm bill 
as soon as possible, and I am grateful for our chairman taking the 
reins on this.
  Our farmers deserve to have the certainty they need to continue 
running their operations after a busy harvest season. It is critical 
that this farm bill include key provisions, including strengthening the 
farm safety net for the more than 85,000 family farms in my home State 
of Iowa and so many more around the country; supporting the next 
generation of farmers' access to capital, as well as beginning their 
own farm operations; increasing rural economic development with access 
to credit for grants, loans, and improved infrastructure, including 
improvement for rural broadband; and bolstering innovation and security 
in agriculture by expanding cybersecurity resources, where ag is one of 
the top three sectors under attack today, and, importantly, preventing 
places like China from purchasing farmland right here in America.

  Ultimately, we must help the farmers, the best stewards of our land, 
conserve their farmland as our natural resource.
  Unleashing America's energy independence begins with a fight for 
biofuels in places like Iowa.
  Mr. Speaker, I will continue to fight for Iowa's farmers and 
producers as we move forward, and I look forward to working with the 
chairman and this team. It is time for Congress to come together to 
pass a farm bill for the betterment of our farmers, producers, 
communities, and families like yours and mine.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin 
Scott), the chair of the Agriculture Committee's General Farm 
Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee. He is also vice 
chair of the full Agriculture Committee and a recently appointed member 
of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate him joining us. I know Rules is busy 
tonight.
  Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson 
for doing a wonderful job.

[[Page H2391]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my unwavering support for our 
Nation's farmers and emphasize the importance of the farm bill.
  Let me be clear. If you are a person who eats, and I suspect everyone 
is, then you should care about the farm bill. The farm bill sets a 
foundation of support for America's farmers and ranchers who produce 
the food and fiber that we depend on on a daily basis.
  Right now, farmers are struggling with rising input costs that make 
it more difficult for them to produce the food that we need.
  The House Agriculture Committee must make major improvements to title 
I in the farm bill and address the impact that high-input prices are 
having on America's farm families. The farm safety net in title I is 
decreased due to the increases in production costs, and current 
reference prices for most commodities do not reflect the increased 
costs of farming today.

                              {time}  2015

  The current statutory reference prices were established in the 2014 
farm bill using 2012 cost of production data. I want to say that again. 
We are using the 2012 data to determine the point at which support 
under Price Loss Coverage kicks in if the market prices fall below the 
reference price during a time when producers are seeing record-high 
input costs.
  This has created a no-win situation for our farmers, and it is vital 
to our country that they are able to do their jobs. No part of the farm 
safety net should guarantee a profit. The farmers know this. It is 
something our producers agree on, but if reference prices don't move, 
then our producers are effectively left with no stop loss assistance in 
the event of a commodity collapse.
  Supporting our farmers through increased reference prices in the farm 
bill means that we support those who grow the crops to sustain our food 
supply.
  Without reference price increases in this next farm bill, there is 
not enough assistance from Congress and the USDA for many farm families 
in our country to continue to grow the food and fiber that we depend 
on.
  As the chairman of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk 
Management, and Credit, I am committed to making significant 
improvements to title I and giving the support that our farmers 
deserve.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Thompson for his work on this farm bill.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Moore).
  Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, consumer prices are up 19.4 
percent since Biden took office, and inflation is up 3\1/2\ percent in 
the last year. Producers simply can't afford this administration's bad 
policies.
  My top priority this farm bill cycle has been addressing reference 
prices, which Mr. Scott just referred to.
  Safety net programs are the bedrock of risk management for our 
producers, and current reference prices are not sufficient to help 
producers manage risk against these razor-thin margins, thanks to 
Bidenomics.
  As input prices go up and commodity prices go down, producers rely on 
these reference prices in the farm safety net to stay in business.
  I have seen this in my own family, hearing about the challenges my 
cousin, who is a young farmer, has had just getting started. I heard 
similar concerns during the farm bill listening sessions that I had all 
across the district.
  That is why we need these inclusions in the farm bill. They will 
deliver for producers in Alabama and across America. We need this 
legislation to fund the farm safety net, promote market development, 
increase feral swine control efforts, modernize data collection for our 
foresters, protect crop insurance, and expand rural broadband 
deployment.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to help our producers battle 
Biden's inflation.
  Before I end, I will say I hope you will all join me in praying for 
Israel in the wake of this horrific attack they faced this weekend. May 
God bless them.
  I thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the 
time remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 33 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman 
from Missouri (Mr. Alford).
  Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank our distinguished chairman 
especially for bringing the listening tour of the Committee on 
Agriculture to the great State of Missouri this past August. We had a 
great time. People got to have their say on what they want in the farm 
bill.
  It was truly a bipartisan effort. I will never forget Jonathan 
Jackson coming there from the Committee on Agriculture to Sedalia and 
milking a cow for the very first time. It was truly a sight to behold.
  I am not a farmer. I don't even play one on TV. I am an American who 
understands the importance of agriculture, and that our food security 
is our national security. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
express my strong support of passing a robust farm bill, a lifeline for 
our Nation's farmers and for the nourishment of our citizens.
  My home State of Missouri boasts 87,000 farms, the second highest 
number of farms in the United States of America. Ag is the backbone of 
our Nation. Through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, 
SNAP, we bridge the gap between the produce of our farmers and the 
tables of more than 41 million Americans.
  SNAP is more than just a program, Mr. Speaker. It is a pact with our 
citizens, ensuring that no truly deserving, qualified American goes to 
bed hungry.
  It is our duty to safeguard the integrity of SNAP. It is our duty to 
make sure every dollar is spent judiciously, reaching only the hungry 
and not lost to fraud, waste, and abuse.
  Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that about $34 million per day is lost 
to erroneous payments, some $13 billion a year, where in some cases 
recipients intentionally cheat the system to obtain more benefits than 
they are eligible for. These fraudulent activities strain the program's 
resources and undermine its integrity, affecting those who are 
genuinely in need. Our farmers are held to integrity standards through 
their use of programs like crop insurance. It is incumbent that States 
and recipients are held to similar standards.
  With more than 80 percent of the farm bill's funding dedicated to 
SNAP, any fraud is unacceptable. We must incentivize people to live a 
healthy lifestyle, eliminate waste, and firmly tackle abuse without 
punishing those truly in need.
  That is why, Mr. Speaker, it is time to wash SNAP with a program that 
is prowork, pro-accountability, pro-sustenance, and pro-health. That is 
exactly what Chairman Thompson and my colleagues on the House Committee 
on Agriculture have been working on.
  It is time to pass a farm bill that backs our hardworking farmers and 
ranchers and keeps our food assistance programs both strong and honest.

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his passion for what is I know Missouri's number one industry, which is 
agriculture, and the number one industry in this great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller), 
who is a farmer, a mom, a wife, a grandmother, and a member of the 
Committee on Agriculture, who represents Illinois's 15th Congressional 
District.
  Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for 
his leadership on the Committee on Agriculture.
  As one of the few family farmers left in Congress, I understand 
firsthand the challenges faced by farmers. My husband and I expanded 
our farm in the 1980s when interest rates were at their highest and the 
farm safety net wasn't as strong as it is today.
  Crop insurance has given us and many fellow farmers the security 
needed to mitigate risks and continue producing the food and fuel that 
keeps America running.
  We must be steadfast in our commitment to protecting the needs of 
farmers and rural America in the farm bill, including protecting crop 
insurance.
  Today, our family farm faces the same challenges as many across the 
country. Increasing land prices are making it nearly impossible for our 
sons to expand.

[[Page H2392]]

  Biden's EPA threatens our no-till practice, which is best for 
conservation. Inflation and Biden's relentless attack on American 
energy has increased our input costs.
  With all the uncertainty that farmers face, they need the certainty 
of a 5-year farm bill. Over the past year, we have diligently laid the 
groundwork to pass a robust farm bill that safeguards farmers' 
interests, while Biden has been focusing on the green bad deal and DEI 
nonsense. It is vital for us to pass a farm bill that puts farmers 
first.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman 
for her service and her dedication to agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird), who 
represents Indiana's Fourth Congressional District and is the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for all he does for 
our committee.
  Mr. Speaker, since my first day here in Congress, I have been a 
relentless advocate for hardworking farmers, ranchers, producers, and 
agricultural professionals who form the backbone of our country. It is 
their dedication and resilience that fuels our economy and feeds the 
entire Nation. Today, the world relies on American producers more than 
ever.
  As geopolitical tensions abroad disrupt supply chains and heighten 
the threat of global food insecurity, it has never been more important 
to give our producers the peace of mind that they deserve. That is why 
I am pleased to see we are making progress on this year's farm bill and 
beginning to move this legislation through committee.
  This has not been a simple process. However, I am thankful for 
Chairman Thompson and everyone on the Committee on Agriculture for 
their hard work.
  Over the past year, we have held listening sessions with stakeholders 
across the country to build on the success of the 2018 farm bill and 
prepare for the future of American agriculture.
  As chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, 
Research, and Biotechnology, I am acutely aware of the opportunities we 
have to deliver new agricultural innovations that will address food 
insecurity, eliminate hunger, and grow the economy.
  It is my hope that as we continue crafting this legislation, that we 
will prioritize agricultural research that will reduce our dependence 
on foreign inputs, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and utilize 
our Nation's abundant agricultural resources.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Committee on 
Agriculture to ensure we meet the needs of all our producers and 
prioritize research that will help America be the global leader in 
agriculture.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his leadership on the Committee and his Subcommittee as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I will next recognize the Representative from 
California's First Congressional District (Mr. LaMalfa). He is a good 
friend and member of the House Committee on Agriculture.
  I had the privilege of spending quite a bit of time with Mr. LaMalfa. 
We had what I would describe as a very emotional visit to Paradise, 
California, where so many lives, almost 100 lives, were lost due to 
wildfire.
  I also had an opportunity to ride in a combine on his rice fields in 
northern California. I really appreciated that opportunity.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), 
who serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Forestry.
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the work of Chairman 
Thompson on this Committee and the hard work on the farm bill and the 
demeanor with which he brings to it. He brings people together with his 
effort on this, by having all of us coming together to have these field 
hearings and listening sessions around the country since the beginning 
of last year in this session. I think that has been very productive and 
points out a strong bipartisan effort to make this farm bill come 
together and be successful this year. We need it to do so because we 
need that certainty for all the industries.
  I am pleased to be able to be the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Forestry. I thank Chairman Thompson on that. That is a very important 
issue in northern California, where my district is, but all over the 
West, and indeed for the whole country.
  We should be deeply concerned about the state of our Nation's timber 
industry, the industry itself, as well as the condition of our forests. 
We have many mills closing down lately because they can't economically 
make it. It is not due to their business practices per se but more so 
the practices of the Forest Service and the available lands and timber 
harvest they need. This demands our immediate attention in the farm 
bill.
  Many people don't know that the USDA oversees the U.S. Forest 
Service. That is why this element is in the farm bill.
  As I am depicting in these posters here, you see the difference 
between managed forests and unmanaged forests, what they look like. On 
the left is a forest that has been thinned and properly maintained. On 
the right is a green forest, but it is so dense birds can't fly through 
it and deer can't run through it.
  This used to actually be the norm--but over 50-plus years of neglect 
of our forested areas have allowed this to happen--because at the same 
time we put out fires, which is a good thing, except for when fire can 
be a useful tool at the right time of year under the right conditions 
for forest thinning.
  We need active management on that. The Forest Service oversees 193 
million acres in its purview, and at best it is treating 1 percent of 
those acres per year.

                              {time}  2030

  That is why it is extremely important we have private industry as a 
partner--indeed, the quarterback carrying the ball on this issue for 
this industry.
  We recently we had a field hearing in South Dakota with my colleague, 
Dusty Johnson. We met up with Neiman Enterprises, the Neiman family, a 
family company who have been there for many years. They have just 
announced layoffs now because they can't get the number of board feet 
needed to sustain their business there.
  It is not just about business. It is about getting the wood products 
and paper products and being a partner in helping our forest to be 
safer, cleaner, and healthier, the whole works.
  If they are having to lay off people, then that means the small town 
of Spearfish in South Dakota is going to suffer badly economically. It 
means their forest is going to suffer due to overcrowding ultimately, 
like you see on the right here, Mr. Speaker, and make an extreme fire 
danger. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when.
  We need to have stronger activity. We need the Forest Service to get 
cracking on this.
  Part of the elements we have had in recent farm bills and in this 
coming farm bill is a continued expansion of categorical exclusions and 
utilizing them. These exclusions allow the bypassing of a lot of red 
tape in permitting and such. It doesn't mean they are going to do 
things environmentally unsoundly. It just means we don't need to take 2 
years to study every time we want to do a timber harvest. We already 
know what to do.
  They require NEPA so many times. We need to have a faster process to 
get this done. We are falling further and further behind. We are losing 
the industry, and we are losing the forests.
  We need to have more categorical exclusions. We need to have more 
pilot projects like we had in the South Tahoe area. It was a 10,000-
acre one.
  What happened there is that work was done in thinning that area. Fire 
hit that area, and it knocked the fire down and made it so it was not a 
devastating fire in that 10,000 acres. They were actually able to put 
it out.
  We have the ability to expand the good neighbor policy, which enabled 
local governments and Tribes to help manage the land for the Forest 
Service since they are so far behind on this issue. We have an 
expansion of that in the bill, as well.
  What we are doing in the farm bill is just commonsense things to make 
our forest practices keep our forests healthy and have an industry at 
the same time.
  Yes, it is good to talk about having an industry. This isn't just Big 
Timber.

[[Page H2393]]

This is something that we need. All these small towns in my area in 
northern California and all over the West have been boarded up, so to 
speak, from losing the industry.
  We need folks to be able to come back and do this work to help us 
because, just recently, the U.S. has gone from the number two importer 
to the number one importer of wood products because China is reeling 
things back in.
  What are we doing here? We have so much burning up in our backyard 
and going to waste. We need to put people to work in our country in our 
forests to make them better and safer and have an industry and jobs in 
this country.
  It is so important that we have these elements in this farm bill and 
that we get it passed, along with all the other good things for 
agriculture and farming, to have a stable food supply.
  The gentleman mentioned I was a rice grower myself in northern 
California--five generations now. We need all of the above on that in 
order to have a stable food supply so our country is strong and secure.
  The same goes with our forestry because you see success on the left 
here, Mr. Speaker, and impending disaster on the right here in this 
poster.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman so much for allowing me to speak 
tonight.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
California for his leadership on forestry and all of American 
agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Rouzer), who represents North Carolina's Seventh District and is one of 
our senior members on the Agriculture Committee.
  Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, North Carolina is blessed to be one of the 
most agriculturally diverse States in our great country.
  Contributing more than $103 billion to our State's economy, 
agriculture has always been North Carolina's number one industry, but 
it is even bigger than that for this reason: Food security is national 
security. In other words, the economic impact of agriculture doesn't 
even come close to measuring its true benefit to America and the world.
  Today, our farm families are struggling just like every other 
American feeling the inflation pinch. In the case of American 
agriculture, it is even worse. Our farm families are expected to see a 
27-percent decrease in net farm income this year. They are facing as 
much uncertainty as at any time in American history.
  We have a crisis unfolding in farm country because of record-high 
input and labor costs driven by a regulatory assault on the industry as 
well as stagnant or declining prices for both crops and livestock, 
eliminating any profit margin.
  This, by the way, is at the same time every American household is 
paying more for food than ever before.
  This is why a strong farm bill is so critically important for both 
farmers and consumers. It could not have come at a more crucial time. 
Important programs necessary to help our farm families survive to feed 
and clothe America, including a commodity title, healthy meals for low-
income families, rural development programs so important to 
infrastructure and job growth in rural areas, animal disease 
prevention, trade promotion, and key investments in research and 
extension services for our producers, along, I might add, with other 
important provisions, all must be updated and improved to meet today's 
challenges in American agriculture.

  We have the safest, most affordable food supply in the world, and we 
must keep it that way. A strong farm bill is key for that to continue. 
A strong farm bill is America first. We should never forget that.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for being such a strong leader and 
critical voice for agriculture as we work toward a farm bill that 
properly addresses the challenges of those who provide our food and 
fiber.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
his leadership and dedication to this great industry that serves every 
American family.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), 
who represents the 23rd District of New York and is a neighbor of mine, 
a neighbor to the north.
  Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson very much for 
hosting tonight's Special Order hour focused on the most consequential 
piece of legislation for rural America, the farm bill. I thank him for 
his work to make sure that we have an adequate farm bill and all the 
travel and the effort that he has put into this at this point.
  In western New York and the Southern Tier, agriculture not only 
drives our economy, but it is also a way of life and a proud tradition 
for many families, who I am proud to represent. I am proud to fight for 
the more than 6,000 farms in my district as we develop each piece of 
this legislation, especially as they struggle with the high input costs 
and shrinking margins created by President Biden's reckless economic 
policies. More specifically, the dairy farms in my district need better 
policy solutions that offer them a stronger safety net and more 
predictable pricing.
  As outlined in the bill that I introduced earlier in this Congress, 
H.R. 1756, the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act, we need to ensure this 
next farm bill authorizes reporting of cost and yield information from 
dairy processors.
  It also has been great to see the recent recognition of the role our 
farmers, ranchers, and dairies play in our Nation's nutrition and 
health.
  This next farm bill should also aim to increase access to dairy 
products for SNAP recipients as outlined in the Dairy Nutrition 
Incentives Act, which I am co-leading with my colleague, Representative 
  Jim Costa. It is important that we empower and encourage households 
to consume healthy but underconsumed foods, such as milk and other 
nutrient-rich dairy products.
  Western New York and the Southern Tier have a proud history of dairy 
farming, and I want to ensure that dairy remains a core component of 
our efforts, as 90 percent of Americans fall short of meeting the 
recommended intake of dairy.
  Similarly, I have been leading the effort to expand access to New 
York maple products with my bipartisan MAPLE Act, as I am proud to 
represent hundreds of maple farms and even had a chance to visit many 
of them last month during New York's Maple Week. It is a great product, 
and the legislation would add maple syrup to the eligible products 
under the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
  The farm bill doesn't stop at dairy production or specialty products. 
It also focuses on developing our rural communities that are so often 
forgotten here in Washington. Title VI of the farm bill authorizes 
programs that are meant to foster economic growth in our rural 
communities, like the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy, or RISE, grant 
program.
  This program has been instrumental in offering grant assistance to 
foster high-wage job creation and accelerate the formation of new 
businesses in qualifying low-income rural areas. While the RISE program 
has garnered success and popularity, it is important to recognize that 
job accelerators typically provide specialized training for individuals 
seeking new skills to secure employment for new businesses.
  The explosion of cutting-edge technologies has presented rural areas 
with challenges in adaptation, resulting in a widening workforce gap 
and diminishing economic prospects. These challenges compound existing 
workforce issues in rural America, including limited access to 
education and workforce development opportunities and mismatches 
between available jobs and the skills of our local workers.
  In response to this need, we have introduced H.R. 7015, the CAREERS 
Act, to build upon the RISE grant program by allowing funds to support 
career pathway programs and industry or sector partnerships in specific 
industries, including public utilities, healthcare, manufacturing, 
agribusiness, and others.
  Opening this program to industry partnerships would create more 
collaboration between employers, educators, and stakeholders to address 
workforce challenges and develop tailored training programs, ensuring a 
skilled workforce that meets industry needs.
  The CAREERS Act champions skills development, innovation, and 
collaboration, empowering rural communities to thrive. We need to 
ensure that title

[[Page H2394]]

VI of the farm bill will do more to close the skills gap and support 
our rural communities.
  In all, I am proud to be a voice for rural upstate New York, western 
New York, and the Southern Tier throughout the process of developing a 
final bill that not only supports American agriculture but builds a 
better future for everyone.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson for all of his efforts.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
New York for his comments. He is doing a great job serving rural 
America, his district, and American agriculture.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Duarte), 
who represents the 13th District and is no stranger to agriculture, 
being from the Central Valley of California and a farmer himself.
  Mr. DUARTE. Mr. Speaker, it is an absolute honor to be here to 
support Chairman Thompson's farm bill, and it is moving forward today.
  As a fourth-generation California farmer working side by side with my 
next generation, the fifth-generation California farmers in my family, 
nothing is more important right now than to get farm security and farm 
stability for American farmers.

  As a California farmer, I have some of my friends right now, best-of-
breed friends, calling and telling me that if we can't get stability in 
our agriculture prices, if we can't get our costs under control, and if 
we can't get foreign markets opened up again, then this might be our 
last year and the bank might have us sell property.
  We are looking at a commercial real estate crisis in America today. 
Let me tell you firsthand, Mr. Speaker, there is an agricultural credit 
crisis coming in America today because we are on the heels of COVID, of 
supply chain disruption, and of Bidenflation. We are still under it.
  All of this is stacking up against farmers while American families 
have higher SNAP benefits than they have ever enjoyed before. So many 
of us in the farm and the agriculture community support SNAP programs 
to get American children and families robust nutrition, but we have 
produce and protein leaving the dinner plates of working families.
  We have cereal companies today advertising breakfast cereal for 
dinner, again, as SNAP benefits are higher than they have ever been, 
maintaining their plus-up status after COVID. Many of us on the 
Agriculture Committee support that on both sides of the aisle.
  So, what do we need? We need a farm bill that produces American 
abundance, that promotes American farmers' innovations, and that allows 
American farmers to produce for national markets.
  We are shut out of China with retaliatory ag tariffs. We are fighting 
back on that, but we need market access for promotion. We need the 
specialty crops block grants plussed-up to help American farmers and 
especially crop producers find the new markets they need.
  With the GATES Act, we want to solve big environmental problems and 
big ecological problems with farming. We need to make sure the biggest 
farmers can do that. For those who are true farmers who make over 25 
percent of their income from agriculture, we need to allow the 
conservation program access, irrespective of income limits.
  We can do this.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson so much for the opportunity to 
promote the American farm bill today. We can get this done.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how many 
minutes are remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 7 minutes remaining.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
California who is a valued member of the House Agriculture Committee 
for his work, leadership, and service.
  Mr. Speaker, we have just heard a multitude of reasons why we need to 
pass this farm bill. This is a farm security, food security, and 
national security bill. Food security is national security.
  My definition of American agriculture is pretty straightforward. 
American agriculture today is science, technology, and innovation.
  America's farmers have suffered enough. They can't wait, and neither 
can we. Over the past 3 years, the Committee on Agriculture has 
traveled all over the country, to both Republican- and Democrat-held 
districts, with one goal in mind: to listen and report back. As I like 
to say, we use what God has given us, two ears and one mouth. That is 
why, when we go out, we call them listening tours, to be able to take 
the opportunity to listen to those folks whose hardworking families are 
providing us food, fiber, building materials, and energy resources all 
over this great Nation.

                              {time}  2045

  We have been to at least 40 different States and one territory. 
Probably some States, as we heard tonight, multiple times, so I have 
had the privilege of chairing probably close to 85 listening sessions 
around this great Nation.
  We do that because we are building a farm bill listening to the 
voices outside the beltway of Washington, to the people who work so 
hard, some of them 7 days a week, to provide what is essential for this 
great Nation and for the families of this great Nation.
  Frankly, our process has been transparent. It has been collaborative, 
and it has been done in good faith.
  Mr. Speaker, I don't think there is a greater return on investment 
for a dollar spent in Washington than one spent through the farm bill 
and agriculture. I don't say that lightly. I point to the facts of the 
number of jobs that are created. It is the number one industry in, 
quite frankly, almost every State and certainly in this Nation.
  The economic activity that is generated through the agriculture 
industry, both production and processing and everything really within 
that food supply chain, and the amount of taxes that are generated by 
farms, ranches, forestry operations, agribusinesses, they are paid at 
every level of government to really fund what we hope are the essential 
services.
  It is the food security that is provided that results in national 
security. There is no more slippery slope to national insecurity than 
food insecurity. That is obvious to see when you look around the world 
today. We are blessed as a Nation because of our agriculture industry 
and the hardworking families that are working in it.
  However, it is also, with American agriculture being based on 
science, technology, and innovation, about a better environment and a 
cleaner climate. When one looks at the data, it shows that American 
agriculture--livestock, plants, and trees because trees are a crop--
results in the sequestration of 6.1 gigatons of carbon annually, which 
is 10.1 percent more than what it generates. There are no better 
climate champions in the world than the American farmer, rancher, and 
forester. We have a lot to be proud of when it comes to this industry.
  Again, there is not a dollar that has a better return on investment 
than one that is invested in American agriculture within this farm 
bill. It recoups tremendously just in terms of number of jobs, economic 
activity, and the taxes that are generated as a result of those 
entities.
  Too often in Washington, the nay-sayers and the pundits drown out our 
progress on key issues, but not on the Agriculture Committee. There 
really is time to iron out the details, mark up the farm bill, and get 
it across the floor and have the Senate do their job next.
  There are 12 titles to this farm bill. There is a lot to it, and we 
understand that. It is very diverse because it is everything that has 
to do with agriculture and, quite frankly, rural America. It has the 
safety net program. As I said, food security is national security.
  Additionally, a strong commodity title ensures that Americans can 
continue to produce the safest, most abundant, and most affordable food 
supply in the world. In recent years, farm income has been on the 
decline. USDA's own data expects farm income to fall by $80 billion by 
the end of 2022 to the end of 2024. This is the greatest 2-year loss in 
the net farm income in history. This farm bill can do something about 
that.
  Persistent inflation, rising costs of production warrant new 
investments in farm safety net. A robust title I aids the American 
producer in managing the risks of low prices or declining farm 
revenues.

[[Page H2395]]

  On the research side, American agriculture is science, technology, 
and innovation. The farm bill promotes science, technology, and 
innovation, which are necessary for training the next generation of 
agriculturalists. It is necessary for keeping American agriculture at 
the forefront of productivity and maintaining our competitive edge with 
China.
  It helps us deal with the sometimes deteriorating weather conditions 
that helps us in areas where soil health is not the finest and being 
able to turn that around. It helps us to be able to produce more on 
less acreage, which is what the trend has been.
  Trade is an incredibly important part of the farm bill, as well. The 
farm bill trade programs have worked to build and maintain and expand 
markets for American agricultural products around the world. American 
producers not only feed, fuel, and clothe our Nation, but provide for 
consumers around the world.
  The Biden administration's trade agenda, or lack thereof, has left 
America's producers with their hands tied, unable to engage in free 
trade and pursue new or expanded markets, and so this farm bill is an 
opportunity to bolster those markets.
  We have heard about forestry tonight. The livestock program, we have 
heard about this evening.
  Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward here, without a doubt, before May 
of moving this farm bill out of the House Agriculture Committee and 
then we will get it to the floor and we will get it through the Senate 
and we will get it to the President's desk.
  We appreciate your presiding this evening, Mr. Speaker, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________