Senate Session 2012 - 06 - 06 - 12 - 01 - 41 - 13 - 04 - 58

A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK THAT WE SUSPEND THE QUORUM CALL. WITHOUT OBJECTION. THANK YOU. THE SNOER FROM MICHIGAN. TODAY WE HAVE BEFORE US THE AGRICULTURE REFORM AND FOOD BILL OF 2010, THE MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE FARM BILL. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS. BUT IT MIGHT ALSO BE KNOWN AS THE CONSERVATION BILL, AS THE FOOD BILL, AND EVEN BETTER THE KITCHEN TABLE BILL. BECAUSE THIS BILL AFFECTS EVERY ONE OF US. THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST OTHER COMMITTEES IN CONGRESS. OUR COMMITTEE ROOM DOESN'T HAVE A RAISED DIAS. INSTEAD, WE SIT AROUND A TABLE JUST LIKE FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY DO AND JUST LIKE FARMERS AND RANCHERS DO AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK IN THE FIELDS. AND SO TO WRITE THIS FARM BILL, WE SAT DOWN AROUND OUR TABLE AND WE TALKED TO EACH OTHER AND WE LISTENED TO EACH OTHER AND WE WORKED IN A BIPARTISAN WAY TO CRAFT A BILL THAT CREATES JOBS WHILE CUTTING SUBSIDIES AND DEFICIT. THE RESULT OF THAT EFFORT IS WHAT IS BEFORE US TODAY IN THE SENATE. IT'S A BILL THAT AFFECTS EVERY FAMILY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FARM BILL MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR MANY FAMILIES TO COME TOGETHER AROUND THEIR OWN KITCHEN TABLES TO ENJOY THE BOUNTY OF THE WORLD'S SAFEST, MOST ABUNDANT AND MOST AFFORDABLE FOOD SUPPLY. AND SO WE'RE ALSO AWARE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS VERY TOUGH ECONOMY, THAT MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS, MANY OF OUR FRIENDS, MANY OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR OWN TABLES. AND THE FARM BILL IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE FAMILIES AS WELL. SO AS WE BEGIN OUR DEBATE HERE IN THE SENATE ON THE FARM BILL, LET US REMEMBER THE FAMILIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE COUNTING ON US TO GET THIS RIGHT RIGHT. I WANT MY COLLEAGUES TO ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE FARM BILL IS A JOBS BILL. JOBS. 16 MILLION JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY RELY ON THE CONTINUED STRENGTH OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. THEY ARE THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK IT TAKES TO PUT THE FOOD ON OUR KITCHEN TABLES, NOT JUST THOSE ON THE FARM BUT THOSE WHO MANUFACTURE, SELL FARM EQUIPMENT, THE PEOPLE WHO SHIP THE CROPS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE FARMERS MARKETS AND LOCAL FOOD HUBS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN FOOD PROCESSING AND CROP PROTECTION AND CROP FERTILITY. NOT TO MENTION THE RESEARCHERS AND THE SCIENTISTS WHO WORK HARD EVERY DAY TO FIGHT PESTS AND DISEASES THAT THREATEN OUR FOOD SUPPLY. AND THROUGHOUT THIS RECESSION, AS THOSE 16 MILLION CAN ATTEST, AGRICULTURE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE TRULY BRIGHT SPOTS IN OUR ECONOMY. THAT'S WHY WE MADE SUCH AN IMPORTANT EFFORT, SUCH AN IMPORTANT BIPARTISAN EFFORT IN THIS FARM BILL TO SUPPORT WELL. WE'RE GIVING THEM ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR TRAINING, MENTORING AND OUTREACH TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS. IN ADDITION, WE'RE GIVING OPPORTUNITIES TO VETERANS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE, AND WE'RE CREATING A MILITARY VETERANS AGRICULTURAL LIAISON WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO EDUCATE VETERANS ABOUT FARMING AND CONNECTING THEM WITH BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS. I WOULD ALSO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND ARE SERVING US IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THEM, OVER HALF OF THEM ARE COMING FROM SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AND THEY'RE COMING HOME. AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOBS IS TO SUPPORT THEM COMING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO AGRICULTURE. BRIGHTEST SPOTS IN AGRICULTURE'S BEEN IN EXPORTS. THIS CHART SHOWS THE INCREDIBLE GROWTH OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. AND, IN FACT, THE TOTAL AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS IN 2011 ALONE REACHED $136 BILLION. SO IT'S A 200 -- IT'S A 270% INCREASE JUST IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, REALLY AN EXPLOSION AS WE REACH OUT IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE -- AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURE IS LOOKED TO AND DEPENDED UPON TO FEED THE FAMILIES OF THE WORLD. $42.5 BILLION. OUR TRADE SURPLUS IS AND LET ME REPEAT THAT. WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT TRADE SURPLUS IN AGRICULTURE. WE CAN'T SAY THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, IN MUCH OF ANY OTHER PLACE IN OUR ECONOMY. BUT IN AGRICULTURE, WE'RE GROWING IT HERE AT HOME -- THE JOBS ARE HERE AT HOME -- AND WE'RE EXPORTING IT OVERSEAS, WHICH IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR INDUSTRIES. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THAT KIND OF SUCCESS. AND WE KNOW THAT FOR EVERY $1 BILLION IN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS THAT WE ARE CREATING 8,400 AMERICAN JOBS. 8,400 AMERICAN JOBS FOR EVERY $1 BILLION IN EXPORTS. AND SO THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE IN MARKET DEVELOPMENT, IN ACCESS FOR OUR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OVERSEAS WILL TON CREATE JOBS HERE AT HOME -- WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE JOBS HERE AT HOME. AS WE'RE WRITING THE FARM BILL, WE ALSO DID SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DOING DURING THESE VERY HARD TIMES, WE WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING WE ARE SPENDING, EVERYTHING WE ARE SPENDING MONEY ON, AND WE LOOKED AT HOW WE COULD DO MORE FOR LESS. WE LITERALLY, MR. PRESIDENT, WENT THROUGH EVERY PAGE OF FARM POLICY AND AGRICULTURAL SPENDING THROUGH USDA. AND THIS BILL REPRESENTS MAJOR HELP US FOCUS FEWER DOLLARS ON THE THINGS THAT CREATE -- FEWER RESOURCES ON THINGS THAT -- I'M SORRY. IT WILL ALLOW US TO FOCUS FEWER RESOURCES ON THE THINGS THAT CREATE JOBS AND MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE REFOCUSING, WE ARE CUTTING THE THINGS THAT AREN'T IMPORTANT AND REFOCUSING ON THE THINGS THAT ARE AND THE THINGS THAT CREATE JOBS. THE AGRICULTURAL REFORM FOOD AND JOBS ACT IS ABOUT CUTTING SUBSIDIES AND CREATING JOBS IN AMERICA. THE REFORMS IN THIS BILL START ON PAGE 1 WITH THE REPEAL OF DIRECT PAYMENTS. COUNTERCYCLICAL PAYMENTS AND THE AVERAGE CROP REVENUE ELECTION, PROGRAM. WHICH HAS BEEN CALLED THE ACRE WE'RE CREATING A NEW APPROACH, A NEW PROGRAM THAT ONLY HELPS FARMERS WHEN THERE IS A LOSS AND ONLY FOR CROPS THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY PLANTED. LIMITS. WE'RE STRENGTHENING PAYMENT WE ARE ENDING MORE THAN 100 PROGRAMS AND AUTHORIZATIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER NEEDED. AND WE'RE DOING ALL OF THIS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CUT THE DEFICIT BY $23 BILLION. THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL REFORM IN THE AGRICULTURAL REFORM, FOOD AND JOBS ACT, IS THE SHIFT AWAY FROM DIRECT PAYMENTS AND TOWARDS RISK MANAGEMENT FOR FARMERS. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON PRINCIPLES, NOT PROGRAMS, AND THE NUMBER-ONE PRINCIPLE IS RISK MANAGEMENT. SO WE ARE REPEALING DIRECT PAYMENTS. WE KNOW THAT FARMERS FACE UNIQUE RISKS UNLIKE THOSE IN OTHER BUSINESSES, AND LET ME STRESS THAT AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY BUSINESS OF RISKS IN MARKET VOLATILITY, IN WEATHER VOLATILITY THAN OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS DO AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT STILL WANT TO STAY IN THAT PEOPLE GIVEN ALL THE RISKS. WEATHER AND MARKET CONDITIONS OUTSIDE OF PRODUCERS' CONTROL CAN HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS AND WE KNOW THAT, BUT CURRENT SYSTEM FOCUSED AROUND DIRECT AND COUNTERCYCLICAL PAYMENTS DOESN'T FOCUS ON ACTUAL RISKS AND IS NO LONGER DEFENSIBLE OR SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE. IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, THESE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY JEOPARDIZE OUR ABILITY TO HAVE A REAL SAFETY NET FOR FARMERS AND THE JOBS THAT DEPEND ON THEM. THAT'S WHY WE ARE ELIMINATING THOSE PROGRAMS AND INSTEAD STRENGTHENING CROP INSURANCE AS THE CENTERPIECE OF RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE FARM BILL. THIS IS 9 IS THE NUMBER-ONE ISSUE THAT WE HEARD FROM EVERY FARMER THAT'S TESTIFIED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, WHETHER IT WAS IN MICHIGAN OR IN KANSAS OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY WE'VE HEARD THE SAME THING LOUDLY AND CLEARLY -- THE SUPPORT FOR PRODUCERS TODAY IS CROP INSURANCE. WE'RE EXPANDING CROP INSURANCE IN THE BILL TO INCLUDE SPECIALTY CROPS AND OTHERS AS WELL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHILE CROP INSURANCE IS THE FOUNDATION, IT DOESN'T WORK THE SAME, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR EVERY COMMODITY AND THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE MADE TO EXPAND CROP INSURANCE. INCLUDING SPECIALTY CROPS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY THE KINDS OF CROPS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO -- THAT YOU'LL FIND IN THE PRODUCE AISLE OF YOUR SUPERMARKET OR AT THE LOCAL FARMERS MARKET, FRUITS, PRODUCTS. VEGETABLES, NUTS AND OTHER THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE GROUP OF CROPS AND THE BILL RECOGNIZES THE UNIQUE CROP INSURANCE NEEDS OF SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS. WE ARE ALSO TAKING STRIDES TO HELP YOUNG AND BEGINNING FARMERS GET STARTED AND SUCCEED IN FARMING. WE'VE MADE REVISIONS TO CROP INSURANCE TO BETTER HELP THOSE REDUCING THEIR CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WHEN DISASTERS STRIKE. TO SUPPLEMENT CROP INSURANCE, THIS BILL CREATES A SINGLE SIMPLE MARKET ORIENTED AND RISK-BASED PROGRAM WE'RE CALLED ARC, AGRICULTURAL RISK COVERAGE. ARC REPRESENTS SIGNIFICANT AND HISTORIC REFORM IN AGRICULTURAL POLICY. FOR YEARS CONGRESS HAS STRUGGLED TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT COMMODITIES, DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THIS IS SOLVED WITH THE NEW ARC PROGRAM WHICH USES THE MARKET AS A GUIDE AND TREATS EVERY COMMODITY THE SAME. THE CURRENT SYSTEM ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO AN INCOME TRANSFER FROM THE FEDERAL TREASURY TO ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE, CERTAIN FARMERS BECAUSE PAYMENTS ARE MADE EVERY YEAR WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER THE FARMER HAD A SUCCESSFUL YEAR OR NOT OR WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT. AND I SAY "CERTAIN PEOPLE" BECAUSE MANY FARMERS DON'T QUALIFY FOR THE HELP TODAY AS WELL. SO DIRECT AND COUNTERCYCLICAL PAYMENTS ARE MADE USING WHAT'S CALLED BASE ACRES -- THAT'S THE CURRENT SYSTEM -- TO DETERMINE THE PAYMENTS. BASE ACRES WERE SET USING WHAT WAS PLANTED ON THE FARMS BACK IN THE 1980'S. SO THESE BASE ACRES HAVE LITTLE RELEVANCE TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON MANY FARMS TODAY. THIS CHANGE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR NEW FARMERS. WE'VE BEEN TOLD BEGINNING FARMERS, THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT WAY TO SUPPORT THEM. ARC, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PROGRAM WE HAVE DEVELOPED IN THIS BILL, USES ONLY THE ACRES THAT A FARMER ACTUALLY PLANTS SO IT'S ABLE TO ADAPT TO FREE MARKET FORCES AND THE DECISIONS MADE -- BEING MADE ON THE FARM WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM THOSE BUSINESS DECISIONS THAT A FARMER NEEDS TO MAKE. WE WANT THE FARMER, THE MAKING THE DECISIONS, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. ARC IS MARKET ORIENTED. FARMERS ONLY GET HELP WHEN THE MARKET MOVES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM HISTORIC PRICE TRENDS FARMERS USE TO PLAN THEIR BUSINESSES AND MAKE PLANTING DECISIONS. THE PAYMENT AMOUNT IS BASED ON ACTUAL HISTORIC NUMBERS FROM THE MARKETPLACE, NOT FROM THE HALLS OF CONGRESS. AND, FINALLY, TOO MANY CURRENT PROGRAM PAYMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T ACTUALLY FARM OR HAVE -- ALREADY HAVE LARGE INCOMES. THE FARM BILL FIXES THIS. UNDER CURRENT LAW, WE SAY THAT FARM PAYMENTS CAN ONLY GO TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN FARMING. THIS REQUIREMENT CONTAINS A LOOPHOLE, HOWEVER, KNOWN AS THE MANAGEMENT LOOPHOLE, THAT LETS A FARM OPERATION DESIGNATE FARMING. MANAGERS WHO ARE NOT ACTUALLY BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE LISTED AS MANAGERS, THEY CAN STILL GET A THE GOVERNMENT AND IT CAN ALLOW THEM TO GET AROUND THE PAYMENT LIMITS. THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. AND THANKS TO SENATOR GRASSLEY, SENATOR TIM JOHNSON WHO HAD LEGISLATION IN THIS AREA -- AND SENATOR GRASSLEY IS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMITTEE, HAS BEEN SUCH A CHAMPION ON THIS ISSUE -- WE HAVE ELIMINATED THIS LOOPHOLE AND MADE SURE THAT THE PAYMENTS ARE GOING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY FARMING. THIS FARM BILL ALSO REFORMS THE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT, LOWERS AND SUBSTANTIALLY ELIMINATING ANY PAYMENT TO MILLIONAIRES. IT INCLUDES TWO A.G.I. CALCULATIONS, ONE FOR FARM INCOME, ONE FOR NONFARM INCOME, WHICH IS CONFUSING AND DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER. THEY WOULD ALLOW SOME TO SPLIT THEIR PAYMENTS THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR. WE CLOSE THIS LOOPHOLE. WE USE A SIMPLE A.G.I. CALCULATION AND RESTRICT THE ELIGIBILITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE LESS THAN $75,000 IN A.G.I. AND FINALLY, THE FARM BILL CAPS PAYMENTS AT $50,000, LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT A FARMER CAN CURRENTLY RECEIVE. DOUBLED WITH CLOSING THE MANAGEMENT LOOPHOLE -- COUPLED WITH CLOSING THE MANAGEMENT LOOPHOLE, THE FARM BILL CONTAINS THE TIGHTEST AND STRONGEST PAYMENT LIMIT REFORMS EVER WHILE MAINTAINING AND STRENGTHENING THE FARM SAFETY NET FOR FARMERS WHO REALLY NEED IT. AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ELIMINATING OPTIONS. IT'S ABOUT FOCUSING ON THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST RISK AND HAVE THE MOST NEED. IN DAIRY, WE ALSO REFORM OUR NATION'S DAIRY POLICIES, REPLACING THE DAIRY PROGRAMS WITH NEW, MARKET-ORIENTED PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW FARMERS TO MANAGE THEIR OWN RISK IN A MANNER THAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY SUFFERED SERIOUS HARDSHIP IN 2009, AS US KNOW, AND CERTAINLY THE PRESIDENT -- THE PRESIDING OFFICER KNOWS WE IN MICHIGAN HAD THE SAME THING WHEN MILK PRICES DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY, WIPING OUT MANY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED DAIRIES. DESPITE SPENDING $1.3 BILLION THIS YEAR, OUR CURRENT DAIRY PROGRAMS WEREN'T ABLE TO HELP CRISIS. MANY OF THE FARMERS THAT WERE IN IN SOME CASES, DAIRY FARMS THAT HAD BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION WENT BANKRUPT, AND SADLY SOME FARMERS EVEN TOOK THEIR OWN LIVES. DAIRY OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE EXTREMELY DIVERSE, AND THE DAIRY POLICIES WE ARE SETTING IN THIS BILL RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY. WE CREATE PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED BY EACH DAIRY, AND WE ALLOW INDIVIDUAL DAIRIES TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AT ALL. TWO PROGRAMS WILL NOW COMPRISE THE DAIRY RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM -- DAIRY PRODUCTION MARGIN PROTECTION PROGRAM AND THE DAIRY MARKET STABILIZATION PROGRAM. ON MARGIN. THE FIRST PROVIDES SUPPORT BASED IS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MILK PRICE AND THE FEED INPUT COSTS. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE RISING GRAIN PRICES COUPLED WITH DROPPING MILK PRICES CAN HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON AMERICA'S DAIRIES. PRODUCERS WILL HAVE TO SHARE IN THE PROGRAM'S COST, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO MANAGE THEIR RISK ON MORE OF THEIR PRODUCTION AT HIGHER PROTECTION LEVELS. WE'RE PROVIDING A DISCOUNTED PREMIUM FOR THE FIRST FOUR MILLION POUNDS OF MILK MARKETED FOR EACH PRODUCER, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 200, 250 COWS TO MAKE SURE THAT SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED OPERATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND THAT ALL FARMS WILL BE ELIGIBLE. THE SECOND PROGRAM, THE MARKET STABILIZATION PROGRAM, SECONDS CLEAR MARKET SIGNALS TO PRODUCERS THAT INDICATE WHEN MARKET. THEY ARE OVERSUPPLYING THE DAIRY IS A UNIQUE COMMODITY IN THAT IT IS PRODUCED 365 DAYS A YEAR. COWS MUST BE MILKED DAILY. THE RAW PRODUCT REQUIRES FURTHER HANDLING AND PROCESSING, AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING. BY TEMPORARILY REDUCING A PARTICIPATING OPERATIONS PAYMENT FOR MILK MARKETED BY A SMALL PERCENTAGE WHEN THERE IS TOO MUCH SUPPLY, THE MARGIN PROGRAM REMOVES THE INCENTIVE FOR DAIRIES TO OVERPRODUCE DURING TIMES OF LOW MARGINS. THE PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES A SUSPENSION TRIGGER BASED ON WORLD PRICES THAT ENSURES U.S. DAIRIES ARE COMPETITIVE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET. CONSERVATION. THROUGHOUT THIS FARM BILL, WE TOOK THE SAME APPROACH AS A FAMILY SITTING AROUND THE TABLE WOULD WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT CUTS IN THEIR OWN BUDGET. WE WENT THROUGH EVERY PROGRAM AGAIN, LOOKED AT WHAT WAS WORKING, WHAT WASN'T, WHAT LOOKED TO DUPLICATION AND WASTE, AND WE PROWFD ON PRINCIPLES, NOT PROGRAMS. AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THAT REALLY IS CONSERVATION. FARMING IS MEASURED IN GENERATIONS. FARMS ARE PASSED DOWN FROM CHILDREN TO GRANDCHILDREN, BUT A FARM CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL IF IT HAS QUALITY SOIL AND CLEAN WATER. ONE OF THE FARMERS WHO TESTIFIED BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE TOLD US THAT CONSERVATION PROGRAMS WHICH -- QUOTE -- ENHANCE AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCE BASE IS A CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR THE NATION, AND I WOULD AGREE. WITH GROWING GLOBAL POPULATION, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT WE CONSERVE WATER AND CONSERVE SOIL RESOURCES. ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY AND FARM PRACTICES HAVE HELPED OUR FARMERS BE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN BUT NO AMOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY CAN OVERCOME DEGRADED SOILS, POOR WATER QUALITY OR A LACK OF WATER. THE FARM BILL IS ACTUALLY OUR NATION'S SINGLE BIGGEST INVESTMENT IN LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION ON PRIVATE LANDS IN OUR COUNTRY. AS WE WENT THROUGH EVERY PROGRAM, WE FOCUSED ON MAKING THEM MORE FLEXIBLE AND EASIER TO USE. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS 23 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS INTO 13. WE HAVE REDUCED IT TO 13 AND PUT THEM IN FOUR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS WITH A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE USERS. THE FIRST FUNCTION IS WORKING LANDS, GIVING FARMERS AND RANCHERS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE BETTER STEWARDS OF THE LAND. THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM OR EQIP IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSERVATION PROGRAMS FOR WORKING LANDS, PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS AND RANCHERS, PRIVATE FOREST OWNERS TO HELP THEM CONSERVE SOIL AND WATER. THIS FUNCTION ALSO INCLUDES THE CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM WHICH ENCOURAGES HIGHER LEVELS OF CONSERVATION AND THE ADOPTION OF EMERGING CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. WE ALSO CONTINUED THE CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS AND THE VOLUNTARY PUBLIC ACCESS AND HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS WHICH ALLOWS PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO GET ADDED BENEFITS FROM THEIR LANDS BY OPENING THEM UP TO HUNTING AND FISHING AND BIRDWATCHING AND OTHER KINDS OF OUTDOOR RECREATION. WE MADE THESE PROGRAMS MORE FLEXIBLE -- AND THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. WE ADDED A FOCUS ON WILDLIFE HABITAT AND MADE THEM EASIER FOR FARMERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THE SECOND AREA IS THE CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM. VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. IT REMOVES HIGHLY ERODEABLE LAND FROM PRODUCTION TO BENEFIT SOIL AND WATER QUALITY AS WELL AS WILDLIFE HABITAT. PARTS OF THE SOUTHWEST AND CERTAINLY MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM KANSAS HAS EXPERIENCED RECORD DROUGHTS THIS YEAR. IT'S STUNNING WHAT HAS HAPPENED. IT'S THE WORST SINCE THE DUST BOWL ERA OF THE 1930'S. BUT SOIL, WHILE IT WAS DRY, IT STAYED ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THE CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM WAS A PART OF THAT CHANGE, PROTECTING SOIL AND AIR. OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING AND WE'RE SEEING CHANGES EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES AS IT RELATES TO THE DROUGHTS. C.R.P. HAS ALSO BEEN CRITICAL IN OUR EFFORTS TO REBUILD WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND TO REDUCE POLLUTION IN OUR STREAMS AND OUR RIVERS AND OUR LAKES. WE ALSO CONTINUED AN IMPORTANT TRANSITION IN THE INCENTIVES PROGRAM TO HELP OLDER FARMERS TRANSITION THEIR LAND TO BEGINNING FARMERS. THIRD, WE FOCUS ON REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. WE CONSOLIDATED FOUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS INTO ONE THAT WILL PROVIDE COMPETITIVE, MERIT-BASED GRANTS TO REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS COMPRISED OF CONSERVATION GROUPS, UNIVERSITIES, FARMERS, RANCHERS, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS TO SOIL HEALTH, WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO ME IN THE GREAT LAKES, AND I KNOW THE PRESIDING OFFICER CARES ABOUT THAT AS WELL. IT'S ALSO CRITICAL FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE BAY, CERTAINLY SENATOR CARDIN, SENATOR CASEY ON THE COMMITTEE, SENATOR WARNER, MEMBERS ALL ACROSS THE BAY WHO HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT. AND IT'S ALSO THERE FOR OTHER CRITICAL AREAS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE LARGE-SCALE CHALLENGES AROUND CONSERVATION. FINALLY, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE AROUND EASEMENTS. EASEMENTS ALLOW LANDOWNERS TO VOLUNTARILY ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT TO WE'VE WETLANDS AND FARM LAND TO PROTECT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT AND SPRAWL. THIS YEAR, FUNDING FOR BOTH THE WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM AND THE GRASSLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM WERE ZEROED OUT, SO WE STREAMLINED, CONSOLIDATED TO ESTABLISH AN EASEMENT PROGRAM WITH A PERMANENT BASELINE GOING FORWARD TO PROTECT AGRICULTURAL LANDS FROM DEVELOPMENT. THIS BILL ALSO INCLUDES A BIPARTISAN SOD-SAVER PROVISION. I WANT TO THANK SENATORS THUNE, JOHANNS AND SHERROD BROWN FOR BRINGING FORWARD AND WORKING WITH US ON THIS, AUTHORING THIS THAT HELPS PREVENT THE PLOWING UP OF NATIVE PRAIRIE. SOD SAVER IS AIMED AT PROTECTING GRASSLANDS AT HIGH RISK OF BEING CONVERTED TO CROP LAND. THIS IS NOT ONLY GOOD FOR CONSERVATION, IT SAVES TAXPAYERS $200 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS. IT'S TIED TO CROP INSURANCE. AND SO -- AND I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT WHILE THE CONSERVATION TITLE IN THE FARM BILL IS A BIG WIN FOR CONSERVATION -- CONSERVATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, I'M PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE LINKED AND CONTINUE TO LINK THE COMMODITY TITLE THAT I DESCRIBED EARLIER TO CONSERVATION AND IN CROP INSURANCE, THE SOD SAVER PROGRAM CREATES A PENALTY IF, IN FACT, SOMEONE IS PLOWING UP NATIVE PRAIRIE. THEY WOULD LOSE PART OF THEIR DISCOUNT UNDER CROP INSURANCE IF THEY DID THAT. IMPORTANT. IT'S TIED THERE AND IT'S VERY I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE RECEIVE SUPPORT FOR OUR APPROACH FROM 643 DIFFERENT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN ALL 50 STATES. MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK THAT SAYS LOUDLY AND CLEARLY THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SMART CUTS THAT INCREASE FLEXIBILITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING EFFECTIVENESS. ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IS IN NUTRITION AND HEALTHY FOODS. FOR TOO LONG, OUR NATION'S FARM BILL IGNORED THE DIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND THE KINDS OF HEALTHY FOODS LIKE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT FAMILIES IN AMERICA WANT TO PUT ON THEIR KITCHEN TABLE AS WELL. WE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THIS FRONT IN THE 2008 FARM BILL WITH THE FIRST-EVER SPECIALTY CROP TITLE. WE CONTINUED THE PROGRESS IN THE AGRICULTURAL REFORM FOOD AND JOBS ACT. AS I SAID EARLIER, AS I GO TO EVERY PART OF MICHIGAN, I MEET PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES, PAID TAXES, NEVER IMAGINED THEY WOULD BE PUT IN A POSITION WHERE THEY WOULD NEED HELP PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, AND BECAUSE RECESSION WHICH HAS BEEN WAY TOO LONG IN MICHIGAN -- IT'S GETTING BETTER BUT WE HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE -- A LOT OF FAMILIES HIT HARDER, DEEPER LONGER THAN HAVE HAD TO ASK FOR TEMPORARY HELP. WHEN THEY NEED IT, WHETHER IT'S FOOD ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH USED TO BE CALLED FOOD STAMPS, IT'S NOW CALLED SNAP, OR WHETHER IT'S HELP FROM A GOOD BANK, THOSE FAMILIES ARE GRATEFUL AND WE SHOULD BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED THAT TEMPORARY HELP. WE ALL EXPECT THOSE PROGRAMS TO HAVE INTEGRITY, AND AS SOMEONE WHOSE STATE HAS BEEN HIT HARDER THAN ANYONE ELSE, I WANT TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE IN PLACE FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED IT, AND THAT MEANS MAKING ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO ONLY THE FAMILIES THAT NEED IT. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CLOSING LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW LOTTERY -- IT OR NOT, WE HAVE HAD LOTTERY WINNERS IN TWO INSTANCES WHERE THEY WON AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON FOOD ASSISTANCE. IT'S A SHAME THAT SO MANY AMERICAN PEOPLE GO TO BED HUNGRY AT NIGHT. IT'S ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE WON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE LOTTERY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE GETTING FOOD ASSISTANCE. SO WE MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE REMOVED FROM SNAP IMMEDIATELY. WE'RE ALSO CRACKING DOWN ON BENEFITS. TRAFFICKING OF FOOD ASSISTANCE RIGHT NOW, THANKS TO THE EFFORTS FROM THE LAST FARM BILL, FRAUD IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW, BUT WE CAN DO EVEN MORE, AND WE'RE GIVING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MONITOR AND PREVENT BENEFIT TRAFFICKING AS WELL AS CRACKING DOWN ON LIQUOR AND TOBACCO STORES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT ONLY PEOPLE RETURNING TO SCHOOL FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL TRAINING ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, NOT COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY AT HOME OR BEING SUPPORTED BY THEIR PARENTS. AND AGAIN, WITH SO MANY FAMILIES AND SO MANY CHILDREN IN NEED, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DIVERT FUNDS IN A WAY THAT SHOULDN'T -- THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE. WE MUST ALSO ENSURE THAT THE STANDARDS CONGRESS CREATED FOR SNAP ARE FOLLOWED BY THE STATES. WE'RE ELIMINATING A GAP IN STANDARDS THAT HAS ALLOWED 16 STATES, INCLUDING MICHIGAN, NOW TO GIVE JUST ONE DOLLAR TO PEOPLE IN THE FORM OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR ADDITIONAL SNAP BENEFITS. WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WITH HIGH ENERGY BILLS ARE OFTEN THOSE WHO ARE MOST FOOD INSECURE, AND THAT'S WHY WE CREATED THE LINK BETWEEN FOOD ASSISTANCE AND LIHEAP, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT CONGRESS NEVER INTENDED FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS TO USE THIS IN A WAY THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS -- FOR FAMILIES, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE HIGHEST UTILITY BILLS. JUST LIKE WITH COMMODITY PROGRAMS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK WE ARE DOING HAS INTEGRITY AND IS DEFENSIBLE IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET CLIMATE. IN A VERY CAREFUL WAY: TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT INADVERTENTLY HURT FAMILIES WHO COSTS. TRULY DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ENERGY INFORMATION TO INCREASING ACCOUNTABLE, WE'RE BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE HUNGER AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. BANKS. WE INCLUDE ASSISTANCE TO FOOD IN 2010, MORE THAN 5 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED A FOOD BANK -- 5 MILLION PEOPLE. AS WE RECOVER FROM THIS RECESSION, IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE FOOD IN STOCK TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. WE'RE STREAMLINING THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FOOD TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS TO FOCUS ON SENIORS, AND WE ARE WORKING -- WE ARE MOVING WOMEN AND CHILDREN INTO THE W.I.C. PROGRAM, WHERE THEY CAN BE BETTER-SERVINGED. WE'RE CONTINUING THE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM ORIGINALLY BY SENATOR HARKIN, WHEN HE WAS CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE, AND I WAS VERY PROUD TO WORK WITH HIM ON THAT. THIS PROVIDES FEE AND FREE AND HEALTHY SNACKS TO LOW-INCOME CHILDREN. THIS BILL TRIPLES OUR SUPPORT FOR FARMERS MARKETS, GIVES THEM RESOURCES TO DEVELOP LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING AN EFFORT TO GIVE LOW-INCOME SENIORS ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT FARMERS MARKETS AND ROADSIDE STANDS. WE'RE INCREASING FUNDING FOR UNNOVATIVE PROJECTS LIKE -- INNOVATIVE PROJECTS LIKE URBAN GREENHOUSE INITIATIVES. I SHOULD SAY THAT ALL OF THESE ARE DONE WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS, MR. PRESIDENT, BUT THEY ARE VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE. WE'RE CREATING A NATIONAL PILOT MODELED AFTER MICHIGAN'S SUCCESSFUL DOUBLE-UP FOOD BOX WHICH GIVES FAMILIES RELYING ON SNAP THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY BE ABLE TO BUY FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR THEIR FAMILIES. AND WE'RE ALSO AUTHORIZING THE HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE TO OFFER LOANS AND GRANTS TO HELP ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF FOOD DESERTS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. AND WE INCREASE FUNDING FOR SEVERAL ORGANIC PROGRAMS, WHICH IS THE FASTEST-GROWING SECTOR OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. WE INCREASE FUNDING FOR ORGANIC RESEARCH, DOUBLE FUNDING FOR THE ORGANIC COST-SHARING PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS FARMERS. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS FARM BILL IS A JOBS BILL, BUT ITS ALSO A FOOD BILL -- BUT IT'S ALSO A FOOD BILL. THE 2012 FARM BILL GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS MAKING SURE EVERY MOM AND DAD CAN GET HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD ON TABLE FOR THEIR CHIN. AS WE WORK THROUGH THE FARM BILL, WE FOCUS ON SPHREAM STREAMLINING AND CONSOLIDATING PROGRAMS TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE RESULTS. I KNOW THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WANT US TO DO. WE CERTAINLY SEE THAT IN CONSERVATION, BUT WE ALSO APPROACH THIS IN EVERY PART OF THE FARM BILL. IN FARM CREDIT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT WE'RE STREAMLINING EXISTING LARKS REMOVING UNUSED PROVISIONS, MAKING AUTHORIZATIONS MORE EFFECTIVE AND THE ADMINISTRATION MORE EFFECTIVE SO WHEN WE HAVE A PART-TIME MAYOR THAT IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO IT, CAN ACTUALLY USE OF WHAT BEEN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES. IN OUR RESEARCH TITLE, WE ELIMINATED DOZENS OF UNUSED AND INDEFENSIBLE AUTHORIZATIONS BUT CONTINUED THE MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS WHILE STREAMLINING OPERATIONS, IMPROVING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FEDERAL RESEARCH FUNDS, AND CREATING INNOVATIVE, NEW RESEARCH FOUNDATION THAT MATCHES PRIVATE DOLLARS AND LEVERAGES FEDERAL RESEARCH DOLLARS TO GET MORE INNOVATIVE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH. FRIEND FROM KANSAS, SENATOR ROBERTS, FOR HIS IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP IN THIS AS WELL. WE FUNDED IMPORTANT ENERGY PROGRAMS, INVESTED IN SPECIALTY CROPS AND ORGANIC FARMING, AS I MENTIONED, AND WE'VE DONE ALL OF THIS WHILE SAVING THE FEDERAL TAXPAYERS $23 BILLION. WE DID IT AROUND OUR TABLE IN THE AG ROOM, IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION, WORKING OUT DIFFERENCES AND ARRIVING AT REAL SOLUTIONS. IN THE COMING DAYS, AS WE GET TO THE DEBATE ON THE FARM BILL, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT SPECIFICS, AND I WILL JOIN MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE COMMITTEE IN FURTHER EXPLAINING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE BILL, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO FIND ADDITIONAL SOLUTIONS AND TO IMPROVE THE BILL SO THAT OUR FARM PROGRAMS WORK BEST FOR ALL OF OUR REGIONS AND ALL OF OUR STATES. DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO COLLEAGUES. WORK OUT ISSUES WITH OUR I WANT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANT BALANCE WE HAVE STRUCK IN A BIPARTISAN EFFORT, REFORMS WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN, AND THE WORK WE PUT IN TO MAKING REAL REFORMS WITHOUT HURTING FAMILIES AND WITHOUT HURTING FARMERS, WHO ARE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY. MR. PRESIDENT, I AM VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, AND A LOT OF HARD WORK AND THE WAY WE HAVE SAVED THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS $23 BILLION THROUGH THESE REFORMS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE COLLEAGUES TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE BILL, TO FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT IT, TO HELP US SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO ALL AMERICANS THAT THIS CONGRESS, THIS SENATE, CAN MAKE TOUGH, SMART DECISIONS THAT CUT SPENDING, INVEST IN AMERICA, AND THAT WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER. SPEAKING OF DOING IT TOGETHER, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT MY FRIEND AND MY PARTNER, SENATOR ROBERTS, THE RANKING MEMBER FROM KANSAS. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT PROCESS, BUT THERE FRANKLY IS NOBODY I WOULD RATHER HAVE SITTING SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE BILL. FROM ME AS WE WORKED OUT THIS TOO MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT WASHINGTON AND ONLY SEE DYSFUNCTION AND PARTISANSHIP AND DIVISIVENESS. YET WE ON THE AG COMMITTEE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY, FOR 16 MILLION PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON AGRICULTURE FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD. THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT SENATOR ROBERTS' LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS BILL. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD YIELD THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT? THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS. MR. PRESIDENT, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN FOR HER VERY KIND REMARKS. THIS HAS BEEN A TEAM EFFORT. A LEADER, A VERY STRONG LEADER TO FRY TO PUT -- TO TRY TO PUT TOGETHER A BILL. I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER VERY DETAILED SUMMARY, TITLE BY TITLE, OF THE FARM BILL, SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF US PROBABLY COULDN'T DO. BUT, AT ANY RATE, SHE HAS DONE IT IS IN THE "CONGRESSIONAL THAT, AND IT IS FOR THE RECORD. RECORD" FL I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE DISTINGUISHED CHAIRMAN -- CHAIRWOMAN, PARDON ME, HAS SAID TODAY. BECAUSE SHE HAS LITERALLY GONE BILL. DOWN EVERY TITLE IN THE FARM SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTION, IT IS RIGHT THERE. AS SHE HAS INDICATED, IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OF EITHER OF UNDER THEUS,PLEASE BE IN CONTACT WITH EITHER OF US OR ANY OF OUR VERY CABLE STAFF. I RISE TODAY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE REFORM AND BILL. FOOD ACT OF 2012 RKT THE FARM IRM PLEASED TO STAND HERE WITH CHAIRWOMAN STABENOW WHO LED THIS LEGISLATION THROUGH THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE. IT HAS TRULY BEEN A BIPARTISAN AND TEAM EFFORT. IT REPRESENTS THE FINAL PRODUCT OF NUMEROUS HEARINGS, MONTHS OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE WORKED TO WRITE A NEW FARM BILL DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGET CLIMATE IN OUR NATION'S RECENT HOAMPLET I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT STRENGTHENS AND PRESERVES THE SAFETY NET FOR OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN RURAL AMERICA WHILE PROVIDING $23.6 BILLION -- I THINK THE CHAIRWOMAN SAID $23 BILLION. I'M GOING TO SAY $23.6 BILLION -- I WILL ALMOST $24 BILLION. LET ME REPEAT THAT. THE SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE VOLUNTARILY WROTE AND REPORTED A BILL THAT PROVIDES $23.6 BILLION IN DEFICIT REDUCTION. BILL THAT REPRESENTS REAL REFORM. WE ARE THE FIRST AUTHORIZING COMMITTEE TO PRODUCE THAT KIND OF MANDATORY BUDGET SAVINGS, AND IT WAS VOLUNTARY. WE ALL REMEMBER THE SUPERCOMMITTEE THAT TRIED VERY, VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE DEFICIT REDUCTION. THE SRPT SUPERCOMMITTEE WAS NOT REALLY THAT SUPER, NOT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED BUT BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. CIRCUMSTANCES WELL, WE'RE A SUPERCOMMITTEE. WE'RE THE ONLY PREMIUM -- I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PEOPLE ON THE HOUSE SIDE BUT IN THE SENATE WE ARE THE ONLY FOLKS WHO HAVE COME UP WITH REAL BUDGET SAVINGS. AND IT ALSO REPRESENTS, AS I'VE INDICATED AND AS THE CHAIRWOMAN VS INDICATED, REAL REFORM. LISTEN TO THIS. WE'VE ELIMINATED FOUR COMMODITY PROGRAMS, FOUR COMMODITY PROGRAMS THAT CAUSED FARMERS UNTOLD HOURS OF PREPARATION AND TO GO DOWN TO THE FARM SERVICE AGENCY AND TO TALK TO THE FOLKS DOWN THERE WHO ARE HARDPRESSED ANYWAY, WHICH PROGRAM DO I SIGN UP FOR, HOW CAN I PLAN DOWN THE ROAD -- ALL OF THESE EXRODTY PROGRAMS -- AND ROLL THEM INTO ONE WHILE SAVINGS APPROXIMATELY $15 BILLION FROM THE FARM SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. THAT'S TRULY REMARKABLE. 23 CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE STREAMLINED INTO 13, WHILE SAVING NEARLY $6.4 BILLION. APPROXIMATELY $4 BILLION IS SAVED IN THE NUTRITION TITLE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS TO ROOT OUT FRAUD AND ABUSE. 16 PROGRAM AUTHORIZATIONS ARE ELIMINATED IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT TITLE, ELIMINATING OVER $1 BILLION OF AUTHORIZED SPENDING OVER TEN YEARS, ON TOP OF THE MANDATORY. TWO PROGRAMS ARE COMBINED AND ANOTHER TWO ELIMINATED IN SPECIALTY CROPS. OVER $200 MILLION LESS IN MANDATORY MONEY IS PROVIDED IN THE ENERGY TITLE COMPARED TO THE 2008 FARM BILL. FIVE PROGRAMS ARE ELIMINATED IN THE FORESTRY TITLE REDUCING AUTHORIZATIONS BY AT LEAST $20 MILLION. AND OVER 60 AUTHORIZATIONS ARE ELIMINATED FROM THE RESEARCH TITLE REDUCING AUTHORIZATIONS BY AT LEAST $770 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS. MR. PRESIDENT, AGAIN, THAT IS $23.6 BILLION IN TOUGH, MANDATORY SAVINGS. AT LEAST $1.8 BILLION IN RADIO -- IN REDUCED DISCRETIONARY AUTHORIZATIONS AND AT LEAST 100 PROGRAMS OR AUTHORIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. THIS IS A REFORM BILL. NO OTHER COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE OR SENATE HAS VOLUNTARILY UNDERTAKEN PROGRAMMATIC AND FUNDING REFORMS AT THIS LEVEL IN THIS BUDGET CLIMATE, NO OTHER COMMITTEE. MR. PRESIDENT, BELIEVE ME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH EASIER TO WRITE A BASELINE BILL, WITH NO CHANGE IN C.B.O. SPENDING PROJECTIONS. WE COULD HAVE FULFILLED EVERYONE'S QUSES IN THE COMMITTEE AND IN THE SENATE BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE PERFORMED THE DUTY THAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO AND WHICH OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT IN THIS BUDGET COMIEMENT CLIMATE AND THAT FARMERS EXPECT AND THAT RANCHERS EXPECT AND THEIR LENDERS EXPECT AND ALL UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET THROUGHOUT RURLD AND SMALL-TOWN AMERICA OR FOR THAT MATTER ANY TAXPAYER, ANY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES. WE HAVE REDUCED SPENDING AND WE HAVE REFORMED PROGRAMS. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT, AND WE WANT -- AND THEY WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER, AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE DOFNLT DONE. AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS A BILL THAT STRENGTHENS AND PRESERVES OUR FARM RISK MANAGEMENT -- RISK MANAGEMENT, AND RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. WE HAVE STRENGTHENED AND PRESERVED THE CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM, AS POINTED OUT BY THE DISTINGUISHED CHAIRWOMAN. THE NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY OF VIRTUALLY EVERY PRODUCER THAT TESTIFIED BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE. WHY? BECAUSE THEIR BANKER, THEIR LENDER SAY, YOU GOT TO HAVE CROP INSURANCE, AND YOU TO STRENGTHEN IT AND IMPROVE IT. IN THE PAST WE HAVE BEEN USING CROP INSURANCE AS A BANK. NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT ANYMORE, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT OUR FARMERS FACE, EVEN TODAY IN KANSAS AS WE GO THROUGHOUT ANOTHER DRY SPELL AND ALSO IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, AND THE HIGH PLAINS. WE'VE STREAMLINED OUR COMMODITY COMPLEXITY. PROGRAM WHILE REDUCING THE WE'VE UPDATED THE ACREAGE. MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S A POINT I WANT TO DISCUSS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. IN RECENT DAYS AND WEEKS, IT HAS SEEMED THERE HAS BEEN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION HERE IN THE CAPITAL REGION. IT SEEMS THAT SOME THINK WE SHOULD WRITE A FARM SAFETY NET PROGRAM AND ALLOCATE THEIR FUNDING BY COMMODITY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION, SORT OF LIKE A PIE CHAMPLETCHART. IF ALL DID WAS LISTEN TO THESE GROUPS, YOU'D THINK WE WERE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAWVMENT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ELIMINATION OF DIRECT PAYMENTS IS A BIG DEAL TO MANY COMMODITIES. IF ANYBODY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT, IT SHOULD BE ME. IT WAS A KEY FEATURE OF THE 1996 AFNLGT I ORIGINALLY AUTHORED THE PROGRAM AT THAT TIME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN WHEAT. ESPECIALLY IN KANSAS. BUT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE BEEN CLEAR IN THIS BUDGET CLIMATE. WHY SHOULD CONGRESS CONTINUE AND DEFEND A PROGRAM BASED ON PLANNING ACREANCE ESTABLISHED OVER 25 YEARS AGO? THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. YES, THE ELIMINATION OF DIRECT PAYMENTS MEANS THE END OF MANY WHEAT PAYMENTS IN KANSAS, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN KANSAS PRODUCERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE A FARM SAFETY NET. QUITE THE CONTRARY, THEY'LL HAVE PROGRAM. STRONG RISK-MANAGEMENT IT WILL JUST BE DIFFERENT -- IT WILL BE JUST FOR DIFFERENT CROPS. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN BASE AKERS WERE ESTABLISHED -- BECAUSE WHEN BASE ACRES WERE ESTABLISHED 250 YEARS AGO, KANSAS PLANTED 2.8 MILLION ACRES OF CORN, 1.6 MILLION ACRES OF SOYBEANS, AND 12.1 MILLION ACRES OF WHEAT. NOW IN THE MOUSES RECENT THREE-YEAR PERIOD, KANSAS FARMERS PLANTED 4.6 MILLION ACRES OF CORN, 2.6 MILLION ACRES OF SORGHUM, 4 MILLION ACRES OF SOYBEANS, AND 8.8 MILLION ACRES OF WHEAT. WHY? THAT'S 4.9 MILLION FEWER ACRES OF WHEAT AND SORGHUM AND 4.2 MILLION ACRES OF CORN AND SOYBEANS. NOW, WHY DOES D. THIS HAPPEN? WHY DID THESE ACREAGE SHIFTS IN KANSAS AND ALL THE COUNTRY CHANGE LIKE THAT? IT OCCURRED BECAUSE FARMERS MADE THOSE DECISIONS, NOT WASHINGTON. OUR -- OUR PRODUCERS HAVE PLANTED FOR THE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKET AND WE'VE DONE SO IN A WAY THAT WE DO NOT ENCOURAGE A W.T.O. CHALLENGE. THE CROPPING CHANGES ARE MUCH THE SAME ALL THROUGHOUT THE NATION, ESPECIALLY AMONG STATES REPRESENTED ON THE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE. MONEY IS SHIFTING AMONG COMMODITIES BECAUSE FARMERS ARE FARMING DIFFERENTLY. DIVERSIFIED. THEY'RE BECOMING MUCH MORE THROUGHOUT THE STATES ON THIS COMMITTEE AND THE NATION. IT IS NOT SHIFTING BECAUSE WE ARE IN WASHINGTON INTENTIONALLY PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE DECISION AND CHANGES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS BILL. THAT TAKES PLACE IN ANY FARM BILL. QUITE HONESTLY, THERE ARE THINGS THAT IF WE HAD THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, THE CHAIRWOMAN AND I BOTH WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY. BUT LET'S BE BLUNT. 2000 OR 2008 FARM BILL AND WE DO NOT HAVE EXTRA FUNDS AVAILABLE. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TRIP TO THE FARM BILL RODEO. I'VE WRITTEN BILLS IN TIMES OF BUDGET SURPLUSES AND EXTRA SPENDING, AND I'VE WRITTEN FARM BILLS IN THE MIDDLE OF DEFICIT-CUTTING EXERCISES. SEVEN OF THEM. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO WRITE A BILL WHEN YOU'RE ADDING MONEY TO THE BASELINE. A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT EASIER. NUTRITION GROUPS, CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, OR COMMODITY GROUPS, OR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WANT TO STAND BY YOU AND TAKE THE BOWS WHEN YOU'RE ADDING MONEY TO THE PROGRAMS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE COUNTRY BY REDUCING SPENDING AND REFORMING PROGRAMS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST NOT EVEN IN THE SAME ROOM AND THEY'RE HIDING IN THE WEEDS. MR. PRESIDENT, AMERICAN AGRICULTURE TODAY IS A MIRACLE. EVERY AMERICAN FARMER FEEDS YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AND 150 OTHER PEOPLE. IN AMERICA TODAY, OUR CONSUMERS SPEND LESS OF THEIR DISPOSABLE INCOME ON FOOD IN THEIR MARKET BASKET -- OKAY? -- THAN ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD. AMERICA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS PROVIDE US WITH THE MOST ABUNDANT, SAFEST AND AFFORDABLE FOOD SUPPLY ON THE PLANET. NOW, THAT'S THE SPEECH THAT EVERY FARM ORGANIZATION AND COMMODITY GROUP AND FARMER AND RANCHER HAS HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN BUT IT'S A SPEECH THAT DESERVES REPEEING TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES -- REPEATING TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO THEY GET IT. THEY FEED OUR NATION. OUR PRODUCERS FEED OUR COUNTRY. AND HUNGRY WORLD. THEY FEED THE WORLD, A TROUBLED THEY PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE FOOD AID PROGRAMS THAT HELP COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD SEND YOUNG GIRLS TO SCHOOL. SENDING THOSE GIRLS TO SCHOOL HELPS FEED HOPE AND A BELIEF IN OUR AMERICAN IDEALS RATHER THAN HATRED AND RADICALISM TOWARD OUR NATION. FARMER TODAY AND RANCHER DO PROVIDE STABILITY IN A CHAOTIC WORLD, AND IN DOING SO, NATIONAL SECURITY AS WELL. YOU SHOW ME A COUNTRY THAT CAN'T REALLY SUSTAIN ITSELF IN TERMS OF FOOD SUPPLY, I WILL SHOW YOU CHAOS. READ THE MID EAST. READ SYRIA. READ LIBYA AND WHAT'S GOING ON OVER IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. AND SO THE FARM PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY A FARM PROGRAM, IT IS A PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE STABILITY IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE AMERICAN FARMER AND OUR ABILITY TO DO IT. IT'S ALSO A NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAM. AND EVERY YEAR AMERICA'S FARMERS PRODUCE MORE ON LESS LAND, USING LESS WATER AND FEWER INPUTS WITH EVER STRONGER CONSERVATION PRACTICES. MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS TRULY A MODERN-DAY MIRACLE WHAT THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN AMERICA DOES TODAY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME ARE UNHAPPY WITH SOME OF THE BILL. IT IS A FARM BILL. PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD IN THIS I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE ANY DIFFERENT. BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU, HOWEVER, THAT IF I THOUGHT WE WERE IN ANY WAY WRITING A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR MY STATE OF KANSAS OR FOR THE STATE OF MICHIGAN OR ALL -- OR ANY AMERICAN PRODUCER TO FEED THIS NATION AND THIS WORLD, A BILL THAT ELIMINATED THEIR SAFETY NET, WHICH DESTROYS THEIR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES WHILE ALSO FEEDING THE MOST NEEDY IN OUR COUNTRY, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE TODAY AND SUPPORTING IT. WOULDN'T DO THAT. IF I THOUGHT IT WOULD IN ANY WAY KEEP US FROM FEEDING THE 9 BILLION PEOPLE -- NOTE THAT, 9 BILLION PEOPLE -- THAT WILL WALK THIS EARTH IN JUST A COUPLE OF SHORT DECADES, I WOULD OPPOSE THIS BILL. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DOUBLE OUR AG -- OUR AG PRODUCTION TO HELP IN A HUMANITARIAN WAY AND TO PREVENT CHAOS ALL AROUND THE WORLD. $9 BILLION PEOPLE. MR. PRESIDENT, AGRICULTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF THE KANSAS ECONOMY. IT EMPLOYS ONE IN FIVE KANSANS. MORE THAN 65,000 FARMS DOT THE KANSAS LANDSCAPE WITH AN AVERAGE FARM SIZE SIZE OF 705 ACRES. THESE FARMERS AND RANCHERS DO A TREMENDOUS JOB OF FEEDING A TROUBLED AND HUNGRY WORLD. IN FACT, KANSAS RANKS NUMBER ONE IN THE NATION IN THE PRODUCTION OF WHEAT AND GRAIN SORGHUM, SECOND IN CATTLE ON FARM AND THIRD IN SUNFLOWERS PRODUCED. YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT, BEING THE SUNFLOWER STATE. CASH SEATS FROM FARM MARKETINGS WERE -- RECEIPTS FROM FARM MARKETING WERE IN EXCESS OF $12 BILLION AND FARM EXPORTS IN EXCESS OF $8 BILLION. MR. PRESIDENT, FARMERS IN MY STATE TRULY HELP FEED WHAT WE HAVE SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN A TROUBLED AND HUNGRY WORLD, WHICH IS WHY I AM PROUD OF THIS LEGISLATION. WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST POSSIBLE BILL BUT IT IS THE BEST BILL POSSIBLE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE FACE. WE HAVE PERFORMED, MR. PRESIDENT, OUR DUTY TO TAXPAYERS BY CUTTING DEFICIT SPENDING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME STRENGTHENING AND PRESERVING THE PROGRAMS SO IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AMERICA. AGAIN, WE'VE CUT MANDATORY SPENDING BY $23.6 BILLION. WE HAVE REFORMED, ELIMINATED AND STREAMLINED U.S. AID PROGRAMS TO THE TUNE OF MORE THAN 100 PROGRAMS AND AUTHORIZATIONS ELIMINATED. AND WE'VE DONE IT ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, BECAUSE IN RURAL AMERICA, YOU MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING AND YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND WHEN WE'VE DONE IT IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION, THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. PEOPLE -- HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HEARD THIS, WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG BACK THERE? WHY CAN'T YOU JOIN TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER AND DO WHAT IS PEOPLE? RIGHT FOR AMERICA AND FOR THE THIS IS WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHAIRWOMAN. SO, MADAM CHAIRWOMAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TO THIS POINT FARM BILL. HERE TODAY, AND LET'S PASS THIS IT'S GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY. IT'S GOOD FOR THE WORLD. IT'S A GOOD BILL AND WE NEED TO PROCEED. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERY MEMBER COULD VOTE FOR THE MOTION TO PROCEED. AND IF YOU HAVE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, PLEASE COME TO US. DOWN." IT'S LIKE BOB BARKER, "COME ON COME ON DOWN AND TALK TO US. WE'LL WORK WITH YOU. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BILL, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU. JUST LET US KNOW. OKAY? IN CLOSING, MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE, SENATOR ALEXANDER, BE RECOGNIZED FOR 10 MINUTES WHEN HE APPEARS ON THE FLOOR. I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE HERE BY THIS TIME BUT HE HAS NOT -- BUT HE IS NOT. BUT AT THAT APPROPRIATE TIME, I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT HE BE RECOGNIZED. WITHOUT OBJECTION. MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR. I WOULD SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. QUORUM CALL: QUORUM CALL: CALL: THE RECOGNIZED. SENATOR FROM NEW YORK IS I REQUEST THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED. WITHOUT OBJECTION. I WANT TO BEGIN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO