[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 8, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2944-H2945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                          FARM BILL PRIORITIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue calling attention to 
the need for Congress to pass a comprehensive 5-year farm bill that 
provides certainty to our agriculture producers while responding to 
market changes and strengthening the ag safety net.
  My priorities for the next farm bill have not changed. It is in the 
best interests of our American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture 
producers to authorize a farm bill that protects and strengthens crop 
insurance, incentivizes agriculture trade programs that help Americans 
remain competitive on the global stage, and conducts rigorous oversight 
and rolls back overly restrictive regulation and supports agriculture 
research and development.
  Investing in agriculture research, and, particularly, animal health 
research, supports our Nation's food security and ultimately our 
national security.
  This is especially true today as the Highly Pathogenic Avian 
Influenza virus spreads across wildlife, poultry, and dairy cattle 
around the country.
  My staff and I remain in close contact with USDA regarding the 
spread, and we are grateful for USDA's efforts to control the outbreak. 
However, it emphasizes the reality that animal health often does not 
get the attention that it deserves.
  Luckily, HPAI has no proven impact on our country's food supply, but 
we are starting to see the economic impact of this virus.
  Last week, Colombia became the first country to restrict US beef 
imports coming from States where HPAI is present.
  As of yesterday, at least 22 States had issued some restrictions on 
the importation of dairy cattle from affected States.
  By actively investing in research of animal disease, we have the 
opportunity to allocate resources to the prevention rather than 
outbreak control.
  These investments serve as a more cost-effective approach to 
protecting our Nation's food supply by limiting animal disease and 
outbreaks before they spread.
  For years, Kansas has led the United States in supporting global food 
security initiatives. Just last year, the U.S.

[[Page H2945]]

Department of Agriculture opened a state-of-the-art National Bio and 
Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas.
  The facility will conduct research into serious animal disease 
threats and the potential impact of those diseases.
  It is the only maximum biocontainment space in the country where USDA 
conducts comprehensive research, develops animal vaccines and 
antivirals, and explores diagnostic and training capabilities.
  This facility is just down the street from my alma mater, Kansas 
State University, and their School of Veterinary Medicine and the 
Biosecurity Research Institute.
  These institutions are the crown jewels of the animal health 
corridor, creating a scientific hub where world-renowned research 
happens, leading the world in agriculture research and health.
  American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers understand that 
to turn a profit, we must embrace the data of innovating, adapting, and 
increasing efficiency.
  According to USDA, agriculture research returns $20 in benefits to 
the economy for every public dollar that is spent.
  We save American tax dollars and the risk of disrupting our food 
supply chain when we adequately invest in agriculture and animal health 
research.
  Despite this, Federal funding has declined in real dollars over the 
past two decades while other forms of research have increased.
  If we continue down this path, we will not only hurt our agriculture 
producers but also American consumers, American food security, and, in 
turn, our national security.
  We must ensure the farm bill addresses the risk to animal health and 
better positions us to invest in prevention rather than outbreak 
control.
  Investing in animal health research bolsters the long-term 
availability of U.S. animal agriculture to be competitive in the global 
marketplace, provides consumers with safe, wholesome, and affordable 
food, and ensures agriculture thrives in America.

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