“The legislation approved by the Senate includes an amendment that would limit the amount of support each producer may receive to a level that falls far short of what our farmers need to maintain sufficient levels of production.  This amendment will put Southern farmers in a worse position than they would be with no Farm Bill at all.  It will not only impact our farm families, it will cripple the economy in rural communities by hurting the tractor dealers, feed stores, small-town banks, and other businesses that rely on agriculture.  This amendment will simply cause additional emergency spending from Congress when family farms are forced into bankruptcy.

“Our agriculture community cannot wait any longer for a farm policy that truly supports farm families.  I urge my colleagues to immediately begin working to fix this legislation that fails our farmers and put forth a final House-Senate bill that ensures that the agriculture community can continue to supply the United States with a safe, reliable source of food and fiber.”

Congressman Ross is a member of the House Agriculture Committee, which authored the Farm Security Act of 2001.  Attached is a letter that Congressman Ross sent to President Bush this morning requesting the Administration’s support for the House-passed Farm Security Act of 2001.

The Honorable George W. Bush
President
The White House
Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

 I write to request your assistance in providing the American farmer a comprehensive farm policy that continues to supply the United States with a safe, reliable source of food and fiber.  By not providing a safety net for farm families, we risk America's dependence on foreign food, much like our current dependence on foreign oil.

 I am disappointed at the Administration's level of inaction regarding U.S. farm policy.  For months, the legislative branch, namely the House of Representatives, has moved on sound agriculture policy.  Beginning early last year, the House Agriculture Committee, in a bipartisan effort, chose to tackle this ominous task.  Time and again, the House asked for guidance from USDA to no avail.  Nonetheless, the House chamber successfully put together and passed a fair and balanced farm policy, the Farm Security Act of 2001 (H.R. 2646), in October 2001.  

 Currently, the Senate is working to pass their version of the Farm Bill and, much to the dismay of the agriculture community, appears to have come up with a farm policy that would be more detrimental than helpful to many of our farmers.  Just last week, the Senate adopted an amendment by Senators Grassley and Dorgan that would limit the amount of support each producer may receive to a level that falls well short of what our farmers need to maintain sufficient levels of production.  With this amendment included, this legislation is not an improvement over the 1996 farm bill.  Dorgan-Grassley will simply cause additional ad hoc spending from Congress when family farms are forced into bankruptcy.

 The impact this single amendment will have on agriculture in the South is tremendous.  While supporters wish to end the "corporate" farm mentality, they fail to realize that many of these are no more than family farms that have been forced to consolidate to avoid bankruptcy.  Often, a subsidy paid to "corporate" farms is split among a number of individual farm families.  Dorgan-Grassley in effect will create havoc over the general economy of the rural areas it will target.  Not only will family farms be put out of production, but the tractor dealers, seed stores, and banks will suffer from the same malaise.

 Mr. President, I plead with you, on behalf of rural America, to provide leadership and support H.R. 2646, the Farm Security Act of 2001.  In openly supporting the House version, you affirm your commitment to rural America. 

 I ask for your most thoughtful consideration of this request.  Nothing is more important than ensuring a strong sense of national security.  Protecting our nation’s food supply is a vital part of this initiative, and your support for the House farm bill will provide this assurance to all Americans.  Please help us keep our nation’s food supply affordable,