[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15322]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      URGING PASSAGE OF FARM BILL

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge this House 
to come together and support a new comprehensive farm bill. Farmers in 
my district are the most efficient producers in the world; however, 
their productivity and efficiency could be hindered if this body does 
not act on a new farm bill.
  After facing a historic drought this year, farmers saw a tremendous 
drop in yields. Crop insurance was there to keep them afloat; however, 
there is so much uncertainty that, if we don't act soon, the producers 
in my district and across the country could be facing unjust 
consequences when going to buy their seed, fertilizer, and other inputs 
for the 2013 crop.
  There are differences between the bill that was passed by the House 
Ag Committee, of which I'm a member, as compared to that of the Senate. 
That's why we need to bring the House bill to the floor for a vote, so 
that we can go to conference committee and work out our differences 
just as we did last year in the highway bill.
  Certainty is what the farmers need right now in order to continue to 
produce the safest and most affordable food in the world. I urge both 
sides to come together and pass a new 5-year farm bill before the end 
of the year.

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