[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4402]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 CONDITION OF THE GENERAL FARM ECONOMY

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, this week the Agriculture Subcommittee on 
General Farm Commodities and Risk Management held a hearing--and will 
be holding more--on the condition of the general farm economy.
  We see prices of commodities going down extremely from a high just a 
couple of years ago. Indeed, farm income is down approximately 56 
percent, according to the USDA.
  Steps need to be taken to ensure stability in the ag economy because 
it is a large part of the export market for us; and the stability of 
U.S. food prices and the economy in rural America rely on it.
  We need to have the type of policy that helps keep business in 
America doing well. It isn't just devising policy here in Washington, 
D.C., but also not making a regulatory burden and causing the prices of 
inputs to continue to spiral upward as we watch farm prices at the gate 
go down.
  We need to do much more to have a friendly atmosphere for business. 
That includes agriculture in this country. And we hope to come up with 
solutions as we put the spotlight on the Agriculture Committee in the 
coming weeks.

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