Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I call up the substitute amendment No. 3224.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today as the Senate considers legislation on an issue that is critically important to our Nation--the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the farm bill.

The goal, the responsibility, the absolute requirement is to provide farmers, ranchers, and growers--everyone within America's valued food chain--certainty and predictability during these very, very difficult times. We are, indeed, in a rough patch with regard to agriculture.

Many of my colleagues have introduced legislation over the last year that addresses priorities and stakeholders in their States. The bill that passed the Agriculture Committee with a strong 20-to-1 vote earlier this month addresses many of those concerns. In fact, the Ag Committee-passed product includes portions of 65 stand-alone bills, and an additional 73 amendments were adopted in the committee. We have also included 18 amendments in today's substitute amendment.

Needless to say, we have worked to include as many priorities from Members both on and off the Ag Committee, and we want to continue to work with Members to address their concerns. That is why we are here.

We are endeavoring to craft a farm bill that meets the needs of producers across all regions and all crops. All of agriculture is struggling, not just one or two commodities. We must have a bill that works across all of our great Nation. That means, with bipartisan support, we must do our job. We must pass a bill that provides our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities the much needed certainty and predictability they deserve.

I appreciate the bipartisan support that we have had to date of those on the Ag Committee who voted to report a bill in such a strong manner--and other Members of the Senate--and I look forward to working with my colleagues on continuing to move this process forward. I will not say that it is an emergency, but we have to move this bill to provide farmers certainty and predictability during the very tough times they face.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. 3224: the amendment by Senator Lee, No. 3074, and the amendment by Senator Durbin, No. 3103.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I would only add at this point--and I think Members who have paid attention to this debate at all or to this particular issue are probably a little tired of hearing this, but maybe there are some who haven't really grasped the issue. We have to get a farm bill.

We are the Agriculture Committee. Agriculture is in dire need of this farm bill--the farmers, the ranchers, the growers, their lenders, and everybody up the food chain. Our situation being what it is, I certainly hope that improves.

Many people, of course, are interested in opening up any bill to amendments, having regular order, and voting on their amendments. I understand that. I think there are about 146 amendments we have agreed to. We are reaching out to people and urging them to come forward and, on a bipartisan basis, agree on these amendments or modify them and then agree to them. So it isn't as if we have not done that.

At some point, we have to pass this bill. The issue is so paramount and the situation is so dire--on behalf of the folks who produce the food and fiber for this country in a troubled and hungry world to at least go on for another year--that it is paramount over any other issue, despite the fact that some people want to come in under a reform they believe would be very salutary, and I understand that. Again, we have to pass this bill.

With that observation, I hope people can understand and we can get some agreement with regard to some of these issues. None of my remarks are intended to impugn in any way the interest of the distinguished Senator from Florida.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. Will the Senator yield?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise in support of my colleague's amendment.

As Senator Thune indicated, this amendment proposes to make changes to the Conservation Reserve Program. Goodness knows that we have been working on that for several years. As a matter of fact, I can even remember back in the House when I was the original sponsor of the Conservation Reserve Program and when Senator Thune was Congressman Thune and continued that effort.

We provide additional flexibilities for the management of routine haying and grazing, which the Senator has pointed out.

The amendment provides greater clarity for when and how often producers can conduct the active management of their CRP land. I strongly support that, as do all of the members of the committee.

These flexibilities not only provide a benefit to the producer but a more active management of CRP also has a mutual benefit to the wildlife that relies upon the habitat created by CRP.

What the distinguished Senator has pointed out is exactly right in that during the Ag Committee markup, both Senator Stabenow and I committed to working with him on this priority. I am pleased the amendment reflects that bipartisan agreement that has the support of the grower and wildlife organizations. I thank my colleague for working with Senator Stabenow and me on this amendment. I support it and urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Thanks, dude.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source