OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Farm Bill of 2013

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 10, 2013
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Agriculture and Food

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Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. I thank the gentleman from California, my friend and colleague and a strong advocate for agriculture in this country.

Mr. Speaker, Americans do not like being dependent on foreign oil, and Americans sure don't want to become dependent on foreign food. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of passing a farm bill.

In my home State of Georgia, agriculture plays a major role in the overall success of our State. Last year, Georgia agriculture was valued at over $14 billion, and the total economic contribution to Georgia was $72 billion. This contribution makes up approximately 10 percent of our gross domestic product and 360,000 jobs. In my district, one of every eight jobs is tied to agriculture.

As a major economic driver of our State, the agricultural industry has suffered without the certainty of a farm bill. Over the past several months, our farmers have had to deal with this uncertainty within the industry because Washington has not been able to agree on a farm bill.

Many of my constituents are left in limbo, trying to decide what to do next year with regard to their crops, wondering if there will be crop insurance or the other things that they depend on for their farm operations and their livelihoods. That is why it is critical to provide the certainty of a farm bill, to boost our economy and help our farmers and our farm families succeed and create jobs.

The farm bill we passed in the House saves taxpayers over $20 billion. I want to reiterate that, Mr. Speaker--over $20 billion and it makes real progress in tackling the drivers of our debt. It consolidates more than 100 programs administered by the USDA and improves agricultural programs to be more cost effective and market oriented by repealing outdated and unworkable permanent law.

I ask my colleagues to join me so we can move to conference and sign a new farm bill into law in order to provide certainty for our country and America's farmers.

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