[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9099]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   WORKING WITH AMERICAN AGRICULTURE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Today we are starting the most important debate of 
2012 in Congress, the reauthorization of the farm bill.
  Now, it is true that we are just talking about the ag appropriations 
bill, and much of the reform agenda will be difficult or ruled out of 
order due to the restrictive approach of the rules, although in the 
past some of my Republican leadership friends have had no compunction 
about legislating on appropriations bills. But here we will be 
protecting large agribusiness instead of American farmers, ranchers, 
consumers, and the environment.
  This debate matters. Each point that is made on the floor or in the 
media, each vote that is accumulated against the status quo and towards 
change and fairness is another step towards reforming the one area that 
almost every independent analyst agrees is right for reform.
  From the far right to the far left, people agree it is time. American 
agricultural policy is frozen in time through the past collection of 
farm bills. It misallocates scarce dollars, it spends too much on the 
richest farming interests who really don't need it, and doesn't provide 
enough support for the majority of farmers and ranchers who do. It does 
not place a priority on the nutrition of our children, and it unleashes 
an assault on the environment.
  There must be a better way. There is a better way. Cutting back on 
unnecessary expenditures for the wealthy and the undeserving would make 
it possible to give a little more to the farmers and ranchers, the 
majority of whom don't get anything under the current farm bill.
  Now, most farmers and ranchers don't just want money. They would much 
rather have assistance to make them more competitive. There is far more 
that can be done by providing for important research to strengthen the 
production of food. More can be done to market American agricultural 
products at home and abroad, to establish farmer's markets. More can be 
done to protect farmers and their crops from disease and pests. And we 
can do so in a way that is consistent with our environmental values and 
our budgetary constraints.
  Farmers and ranchers as a group are some of the most outstanding 
stewards of the land and the environment we have in America. But we are 
looking now at a farm bill that is going to dramatically cut back the 
money to help them with environmental compliance, even requiring 
breaking some existing contracts.
  But complying with environmental regulations and changing policies is 
going to take some effort and in some cases is going to cost money. Why 
aren't we protecting the environmental programs and providing technical 
assistance to help these agricultural interests do what they want to 
do, which will not only improve water quality, wildlife habitat and air 
quality, but will put money in their pockets, supporting small and 
medium-sized operations?
  Then there is the issue of nutrition. By skewing the production to 
artificially prop up and make profitable sugar, massive subsidies for 
corn, putting big money behind it, instead of improving the nutrition 
for our schools, for example, we are literally subsidizing a diet 
through our tax dollars that is making our kids sick. Instead, we 
should be helping them both be well-fed and healthy, not just well-fed 
with empty calories, but with fruits and vegetables that will 
strengthen their bodies and the prospect for long-term health. But the 
people who grow food, like fruits and vegetables, are discriminated 
against under existing American farm policies.
  Help farmers and ranchers grow food, protect the environment, and 
strengthen the economy. It is a simple formula. It is hard to imagine a 
more pro-American agenda and one that Americans from all across the 
political spectrum agree with. It is time to listen to them, to work 
for them, and make it happen.

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