Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning. Thank you, Chairman Costa, for holding today’s hearing to discuss the latest animal health issues affecting our nation’s livestock industry and to review the U.S. Department Agriculture’s (USDA) animal pest and disease programs. Food security is national security, and there is no question that the animal agriculture sector faces pest and disease thre... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning, thank you Chair Spanberger for holding today’s hearing to review USDA Farm Bill conservation programs Over the past 35 years, Congress has acknowledged that voluntary conservation works, leading to significant investments in various conservation initiatives. In recent farm bills, we have expanded our financial commitment for important initiatives lik... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this important hearing to highlight the state of the farm economy. It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that we were in the midst of the Great Recession, but the agricultural economy was booming. Unfortunately, as those involved in agriculture know all too well, markets are cyclical and Mother Nature is unpredictable. Now, the... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your indulgence to say a few words about the distinguished chairman of the CFTC. Chris, thank you. Thank you for your service; Thank you for your diligence, thoughtfulness and candor; Thank you for your relentless curiosity; And, most of all, thank you for your bottomless reservoir of optimism. Everyone up on this dais knows h... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: First off, I would like to congratulate my friend and fellow Georgian, David Scott, on chairing this subcommittee and I look forward to the bipartisan work we will do this Congress. Next, I would like to welcome the new members to this subcommittee and of course Chairman Giancarlo. Good morning, Chairman Giancarlo. It’s good to have you back here one last time bef... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Chairman Costa, for holding this hearing to focus on the state of the dairy industry. All sectors of the agricultural economy are facing challenging times, and the conditions for our dairy farmers are no exception. Dairymen across the country have faced a multi-year period of low milk prices and trade uncertainty, along with labor challenges that have r... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning. I appreciate the Chairwoman convening this hearing and thank our witnesses for their participation. For me, the best foundation for today’s hearing is three central truths: We all want to improve the lives of Americans facing hard times, SNAP is an important poverty program, work is a critical part of giving people the opportunity to move out of pove... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, thank you for convening this important hearing on the state of the farm economy. Mr. Secretary, welcome back and thank you for being here with us today. Earlier, during consideration of the committee’s budget views and estimates letter, I commented on the extremely difficult conditions in farm and ranch country. As I said then, I wish we could have s... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning. This meeting was called to consider the committee’s annual budget views and estimates letter to the Budget Committee. While I am prepared to support the letter, I have major concerns. As everyone on this committee is aware, we are entering into the 6th straight year of recession in farm and ranch country right now. I will not recite the litany of tro... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning everyone. Mr. Chairman, congratulations on your second chairmanship of the all-powerful House Agriculture Committee. It is a high privilege and honor to chair this panel just once — so twice is truly a special honor. As you may have noticed, this side of the dais has also changed quite a bit from last fall. A lot of very fine individuals who served on... Read more »
