[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4856]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK

  (Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
National Agriculture Week. It is a time to celebrate the extraordinary 
diversity, abundance, and evolution of American agriculture.
  In 1960, the average U.S. farmer fed 26 people; today, Mr. Speaker, 
the average U.S. farmer feeds 155 people by using less land, less 
water, less energy, and less fertilizer.
  Thanks to agriculture research which has given rise to new 
technologies and techniques, America's producers are adopting practices 
which allow them to meet food, fiber, feed, and fuel demands and 
preserve our natural resources for generations to come. From high-tech 
irrigation tools to biotechnology, growers are producing a more stable, 
safe, quality, and affordable food supply.
  As we recognize National Agriculture Week, we have much to celebrate 
but many challenges ahead. Knowing the forward-thinking nature of 
producers, combined with these exciting advances in agriculture, I am 
confident we will meet all of the demands of our growing world.
  As cochair of the Modern Agriculture Caucus and the rural caucus, I 
am committed to ensuring Federal policy reflects sound science and 
strives to complement, not undermine, this innovation.

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