[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8797-8798]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING THE AMERICAN FARMER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois). The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an often overlooked 
and sometimes underappreciated American hero: the American farmer.
  The American farmer has been working the land since before the 
founding of this country. Early settlers quickly discovered that 
America is endowed with abundant natural resources, rich soil, and 
temperate conditions that provide a solid foundation for a vibrant 
agrarian economy.
  Fast-forward a few hundred years, and today the United States is the 
number one exporter of agricultural products in the world. In fact, 
farming accounts for over $163 billion each year. This production not 
only helps make our GDP the highest in the

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world, but it also helps feed billions worldwide, often in the most 
hard-to-reach places where food insecurity and malnutrition are chronic 
problems.
  According to the most recent data from the USDA, family farms account 
for 99 percent of all farms in the U.S. and 89 percent of America's 
agricultural production. Ninety percent of the farms in the U.S. are 
considered small, and these small farms account for the vast majority 
of American farmers. This is equally true in Indiana, where, although 
we are the 38th largest State geographically, we rank in the top 10 in 
total agricultural sales.
  Production in Indiana supports over 245,000 jobs, and corn, soybeans, 
hogs, poultry, and dairy have a combined $10 billion economic impact 
statewide. Simply put, ag is a really big deal in Indiana, and the 
Hoosier farmer does all of the heavy lifting.
  Safe, affordable food is important to our national security, and a 
reliable, sustainable food source is crucial to safeguarding public 
health while preserving economic independence. That is why we should 
support our Nation's agricultural producers in every way that we can.

                              {time}  1045

  This includes supporting the U.S. crop insurance program, which 
provides an important safety net to farmers who assume major risks with 
each seed that they put in the ground. As recent natural disasters have 
made all too clear, widespread weather events can trigger huge losses 
for America's family farmers.
  Without a national reinsurance pool, growers would have far fewer 
options available, many crops would be excluded, few could participate 
in the program, and growers would be forced to turn to Congress for 
assistance whenever disaster struck. That would be particularly true in 
areas where droughts and floods are common.
  Through the crop insurance program, insurers can extend coverage to 
crops of all kind, providing farmers with the protections they need to 
do what they do best: grow food. This program is an example of the 
government partnering with industry to offer an exceptionally valuable 
service while maintaining a carefully limited Federal Government role. 
Frankly, it should be used as a model for other Federal reinsurance 
programs.
  It is a success story, and even if you are not a farmer, you have 
benefited from its existence. It has helped you receive more affordable 
food and helped America maintain its agricultural preeminence. That is 
a great result for virtually every American.
  Mr. Speaker, as Congress begins working on the next farm bill, I hope 
my colleagues recognize the value of our Federal crop insurance program 
and the important role that it plays in supporting the American farmer 
while he or she supports the American consumer.

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