Usa Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in honoring all who have continued to work in service to our Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. My home State and our Nation are blessed with dedicated citizens who have continued striving to keep essential operations going amidst the challenges we face.

While there are many sectors that deserve recognition and will be mentioned by my colleagues, notably healthcare workers, teachers, post office employees, grocery store workers, law enforcement, of course, and many others, I want to focus for just a minute on the critical efforts of our agriculture producers--farmers and ranchers and so many others.

Maintaining the food supply chain during this public health emergency is essential--absolutely essential. As we combat coronavirus, our farmers and our ranchers have continued to provide the food, fuel, and fiber that we need. Americans truly benefit every single day from the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world thanks to our producers, our farmers, and our ranchers. But as operations across the country are impacted, food security has been a particular concern. We greatly appreciate the efforts of those working to keep food on our tables from our producers to the workers. It is not only the farmers and ranchers, but it is also the workers at the ag processing facilities.

We know there are real challenges there--we have heard about them-- but we appreciate so much all those workers at the processing facilities so we can get that food from the farmer or the ranchers to, ultimately, the consumer. That is why, as chair of the Senate Ag Appropriations Committee, I worked to secure nearly $25 billion in funding to help our farmers and ranchers to keep them going. They have faced incredible challenges--not only low prices but the difficulty in trade negotiations and really tough weather. For our producers, they have been fighting real challenges for some time now. With this COVID- 19 pandemic on top of it, it has made it very tough for them. They have hung in there and continued to do what they do best, which is produce our food supply. They have truly stepped up during this emergency, and I think they need to be recognized for it and thanked for it.

Just a couple of weeks ago, R.D. Offutt Farms--one of the nation's premier potato growers and based in Fargo, ND--donated 37,000 pounds of frozen potato products to the Great Plains Food Bank. We grow a lot of potatoes in North Dakota, particularly in the Red River Valley. R.D. Offutt Farms is a large producer and donated 37,000 pounds of frozen potatoes to the Great Plains Food Bank.

Another example, North Dakota Stockmen's Association and Foundation donated $20,000 to enable this same food bank--the Great Plains Food Bank--to purchase beef from North Dakota ranchers. One of the big challenges we have had out there is our ranchers continue to raise incredible livestock and incredible cattle, finest cattle in the world. The tough thing is they are getting such a poor price for them. We have to figure out how to do better because at the same time we see prices going up at the grocery store, our cattle producers are not getting compensated for those animals. Their prices are going down.

We know it is tough in the processing industry with the coronavirus, but we have to find ways to make changes now and for the longer term so that our cattlemen are treated fairly and well for what they do, which is raise such a great quality beef product. Again, Stockmen's, their association, stepped up and made donations to the food bank.

Another example, North Dakota Farmers Union, announced it is teaming up with the Farmers Union Enterprise to donate 30,000 pounds of pork ribs to the Great Plains Food Bank.

Again, these are all examples of our farmers and ranchers not only producing our great food supply but stepping up and donating as well to help these people who need it.

This generosity immediately benefits individuals and families across the region. It is helping to replenish the food bank's strained inventory, which serves many food panties, shelters, soup kitchens and charitable feeding programs. These efforts drive home the message that we are all in this together. Even in the face of tremendous challenges, we find a way to make the best of tough situations and take care of our neighbors. That is what this is all about.

Another farmer sent this same message to the Nation. He took the time to write while out in one of his fields. He wrote: ``We will win the war on COVID-19.''

This just demonstrates the spirit of our farmers and ranchers and, of course, the spirit of our people across America. To have this hope and charity, even when our ag producers are working to overcome unprecedented difficulties, is truly inspirational. That is why I come to the floor to give thanks to our farmers and our ranchers who consistently go above and beyond not only to feed our Nation but to serve their communities across America.

That is why we continue working with the USDA--the Department of Agriculture--to get vital assistance to our farmers and ranchers. We remain committed to supporting them through this pandemic and through a myriad of other challenges they face, just as they support us every single day.

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