Farmers, Ranchers, Foresters, and Consumers Deserve Certainty

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, North Carolina is blessed to be one of the most agriculturally diverse States in our great country.

Contributing more than $103 billion to our State's economy, agriculture has always been North Carolina's number one industry, but it is even bigger than that for this reason: Food security is national security. In other words, the economic impact of agriculture doesn't even come close to measuring its true benefit to America and the world.

Today, our farm families are struggling just like every other American feeling the inflation pinch. In the case of American agriculture, it is even worse. Our farm families are expected to see a 27-percent decrease in net farm income this year. They are facing as much uncertainty as at any time in American history.

We have a crisis unfolding in farm country because of record-high input and labor costs driven by a regulatory assault on the industry as well as stagnant or declining prices for both crops and livestock, eliminating any profit margin.

This, by the way, is at the same time every American household is paying more for food than ever before.

This is why a strong farm bill is so critically important for both farmers and consumers. It could not have come at a more crucial time. Important programs necessary to help our farm families survive to feed and clothe America, including a commodity title, healthy meals for low- income families, rural development programs so important to infrastructure and job growth in rural areas, animal disease prevention, trade promotion, and key investments in research and extension services for our producers, along, I might add, with other important provisions, all must be updated and improved to meet today's challenges in American agriculture.

We have the safest, most affordable food supply in the world, and we must keep it that way. A strong farm bill is key for that to continue. A strong farm bill is America first. We should never forget that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for being such a strong leader and critical voice for agriculture as we work toward a farm bill that properly addresses the challenges of those who provide our food and fiber.

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