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Motion to Go to Conference on H.R. 2419, Food and Energy Security Act of 2007

By: Ron Kind
By: Ron Kind
Date: April 9, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Agriculture and Food Energy


MOTION TO GO TO CONFERENCE ON H.R. 2419, FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - April 09, 2008)

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Mr. KIND. I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, we need a farm bill, and we need it soon. Planting season is
starting throughout the country, but I would hope that at the end of the process we get a good farm bill rather than a bad farm bill, one that recognizes current market prices and the conditions that farmers are experiencing out there. It was a little more bold on reform, especially under those title I commodity programs.

The President has made it clear that he won't find a farm bill acceptable that does call for an increase in taxes in order to pay for it. I and others who have been a part of a reform effort, especially with the commodity subsidy programs, believe that we are capable of producing a farm bill that maintains an important safety net for family farmers, but also protects the important priorities that are also a part of the farm bill.

It's based on the philosophy of let's help family farmers when they need it, let's not when they don't. Clearly with commodity prices at or near record highs in the marketplace today, part of it driven by the biofuels portion in this country, a large part of it due to the increased global demand, many of us are suspecting that these prices are going to continue. That's been great for the rural economy, and it's been great for farm income.

But let us also take this opportunity then of starting to move forward on some commonsense reasonable reforms of these commodity programs, while still maintaining a safety net in the farm bill, but without jeopardizing the conservation title or nutrition or specialty crops, rural economic development programs and renewable fuel investment.

I would hope that my colleagues support this motion to instruct. I think it's the right thing to do. I think at the end of the day, if we are going to have a bipartisan bill that the President feels comfortable in doing, one of the goals that we have to strive for is a bill that does not call for an increase in taxes in light of record high market prices.

I commend the gentleman for offering this motion and encourage support on the vote.

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