Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - August 02, 2007)

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Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I want to express my appreciation to my dear friend and colleague for providing me with this time to say a couple of things in opposition to this amendment. I think the person who is proposing this amendment simply does not understand what is being done here.

The agricultural industry is a very important part of the economy of New York State, one of the most essential parts of the economy of New York State. The grape industry is an important part of the agricultural industry. This Grape Genetics Research Center, which has been established as a result of legislation which was put forward by Mr. Walsh and myself and others in 2005, is an important part of the way grape production is advancing in the United States and becoming a more important part of American agriculture. It is providing jobs for our citizens, and it is providing more and more economic growth in a number of parts of our country all across our country.

It enables grape growers to deal with the cold winters in the Northeast and enables grape growers to deal with the arid circumstances that they confront in certain parts of southern California and the other forms of diverse issues that need to be dealt with by grape growers in many places across the country.

This means of searching into this industry and providing better ways of doing it is an important part in the way in which we are protecting and growing our agricultural economy.

I would hope that the offeror of this amendment would spend a few moments to look more closely at these circumstances, because I think if he does, he might begin to understand the value of agriculture and the value of this kind of genetics research.

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