[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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