[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H3410]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEVELOPING A BIPARTISAN, COMPREHENSIVE, AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE FARM
BILL
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Mann) for 5 minutes.
Mr. MANN. Madam Speaker, this is a week that farmers, ranchers, and
agricultural producers in my State of Kansas have long awaited. The
House Agriculture Committee will finally mark up a 5-year farm bill.
I will start by thanking Chairman G.T. Thompson for leading the
committee and developing a bipartisan, comprehensive, fiscally
conservative farm bill that gives our farmers, ranchers, and
agricultural producers the certainty they deserve.
Around this time last year, the chairman and I hosted a farm bill
listening session next to a wheat field in my district. We heard from
150 Kansans about their priorities for a farm bill. They were clear:
They need a farm bill that gives them certainty as they work day in and
day out to feed, clothe, and fuel the world. The Farm, Food, and
National Security Act does just that.
This farm bill strengthens the farm safety net and protects crop
insurance. Agricultural producers in Kansas understand firsthand how
important that is. In February 2021, Kansas had 13 consecutive days of
below-freezing temperatures, which is a 40-year record. Our producers
worked around the clock to protect their cattle and ensure they
survived. Just last summer, drought and market conditions in Kansas
caused producers to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since
World War I. Wheat farmers have seen a 35 percent decrease in
production in the last year as a result.
Madam Speaker, the reality is Mother Nature is a very difficult
business partner. One bad crop year could put the livelihood of our
producers and their families at risk. This farm bill gives these
hardworking individuals more certainty by strengthening the farm safety
net, adjusting reference prices, and modernizing the Livestock
Indemnity program, dairy supports, and Conservation Reserve Program.
The committee's farm bill also maintains American food independence
and invests tax dollars in places we can see a return on those dollars.
America is the freest country in the world, in part because we have
never had to rely on another country to feed us. At the heart of that
independence is agricultural research and innovation.
The Big First is home to some of the crown jewels of the animal
health corridor: Kansas State University and the National Bio and Agro-
Defense facility. These institutions give the Nation a scientific hub
of world-renowned research. Kansas State University is conducting
groundbreaking research into areas, including new heat-tolerant wheat
varieties and higher yielding sorghum. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture's state-of-the-art NBAF in Manhattan will conduct research
into serious animal disease threats to be an important backstop in
protecting our Nation's food supply. This work, and America's continued
ability to feed ourselves for generations to come, depend on a 5-year
farm bill that prioritizes food security as national security.
Madam Speaker, this farm bill makes robust investments in the Market
Access Program and Foreign Market Development programs that ensure our
American producers remain in the international marketplace. It
proactively addresses issues like deferred maintenance costs at land-
grant institutions and the country's veterinarian shortage before that
problem gets even worse.
I have been to this floor nearly 30 times to push for my priorities
in this farm bill: to protect and strengthen crop insurance, to promote
trade programs that help America remain competitive and secure, conduct
rigorous oversight of the executive branch to fight Big Government
overreach, and invest in agricultural research at America's land-grant
universities. I am pleased that the Farm, Food, and National Security
Act does just that.
We need to pass a 5-year fiscally conservative farm bill that is long
enough to provide certainty and short enough for Congress to respond to
market changes. Farm bills feed every corner of the Nation from New
England to the islands of Hawaii, both our coasts, down to the Gulf,
and even the heartland of this country, including Kansas. American
agricultural producers and consumers are counting on it. The
legislation we mark up this week will have ripple effects for years to
come. This body and Congress must use this legislation to address the
concerns we have all heard over the last several years.
When we kicked off our farm bill listening session last year, there
were three combines parked behind us: John Deere, Case, and Gleaner.
When you grow up on a farm, you are born into loyalty to one of these
trusted American brands. They have different styles and features, but
they are all designed to do the same thing: harvest. Our listening
session that day and the bill that House Agriculture marks up this week
are no different. We all have different priorities and backgrounds, but
we are all here to do the same thing: harvest, work hard, and
effectively churn out a product, the farm bill.
America's farmers, ranchers, and ag producers deserve it, America's
food and national security depend on it, and Congress must deliver it.
This farm bill is something our ag community can be proud of. It puts
dollars in places where Americans can see a good return on their
investment. It tightens budgets and reins in reckless spending that
doesn't serve taxpayers. Most importantly, this bill ensures that
American farmers, ranchers, and ag producers can continue to keep us
all fueled, fed, and clothed. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act
is the first step in the right direction, and I look forward to this
week's markup.
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