Collin Peterson

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate what the gentleman is saying, but there are a lot of folks that disagree with these payment limits on title I. I, myself, have some concerns about them. It just has got to be this way. We are putting a hard cap of $100 million of all payments. We are doing that to conservation, title I. This is the way it ought to be. This is the way it needs to be. We are not treating conservation any different. We are treating him as exactly the same. I am not one that gets into an argument about big or small, rich and poor. This is just justice for all.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield?

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. The Davis-Kirk amendment to the 2007 farm bill would erase sugar policy measures that are designed to save taxpayers funds and prevent the U.S. sugar market from being overrun with subsidized foreign sugar. The economic impact in Minnesota alone of the U.S. sugar industry amounts to over $1.3 billion per year. Nationwide, over $10 billion is generated in economic impact from this industry.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of our time to my good friend from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) who does an outstanding job representing his farmers and our sugar producers.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. I appreciate the gentleman's leadership on this issue. We will work with you to help clarify the way States interpret food stamp eligibility guidelines and hope for a positive solution.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I am now pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin), another one of our outstanding members of the Agriculture Committee.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the ranking member from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 2419, pursuant to House Resolution 574, (1) the amendment en bloc offered by the gentleman from Minnesota be considered as modified by the form I have placed at the desk and that it be considered as adopted as so modified, and (2) amendments No. 9 and No. 11 be permitted to be offered at any time.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I think what people need to understand, the farmer that sold the day before Katrina got his money out of the marketplace, and what the LDP did is protect those farmers that sold later to get the same price that farmer got right before Katrina. So that's exactly what this is supposed to do. Farmers don't have any power in this marketplace to speak of. If you want to give all the power to the big guys, go to this system. It's not what we want to do in the Ag Committee.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. I, as well, want to commend the gentleman from California and the gentleman from Mississippi for their willingness to work with us on this issue, as well as the ranking member. We, on the committee, have an investigator that does work for us. And this last year he went out and traveled around the country, talked to a lot of folks involved in this area. And we have some troubling feedback that we got in that report. And I think it's appropriate that we all that are involved in this get together and have hearings to get to the bottom of this to make sure that we not only are securing our borders, but we also are doing the best job that we can to make sure that the food coming into this country is secure and safe and the process is not overly bureaucratic. So I thank the gentlemen for their leadership and look forward to working with all of them on this issue as we go forward.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his outstanding leadership on this issue now and in the past. This is something that I support. A recent report by the U.S. International Trade Commission shows the United States was a main supplier of ag products to Cuba last year, accounting for 30 percent of the island's imports. This report indicates that number could increase to 50 percent if the United States would only end some of its decades-long restrictions on trade between the two nations. This report shows that lifting the trade and travel restrictions against Cuba can have a real effect on the U.S. farm economy. Unfortunately, since 2000, American farmers and other ag exporters have been allowed to sell goods to Cuba only on a cash-only basis. So with elimination of all such travel and trade restrictions, U.S. exports to Cuba could almost double from the 2006 level. The largest gains would be fresh fruits, vegetables, milk powder, processed foods, and certain meats. This amendment is long overdue and would take care of those factors and finally allow our ag producers to benefit from Cuban trade.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 2419, the Clerk be authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross-references and to make other such technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the actions of the House.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that, during further consideration of H.R. 2419 pursuant to House Resolution 574, the Chair may reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for electronic voting under clause 6 of rule XVIII and clauses 8 and 9 of rule XX.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I submit the following information for the Record. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, July 26, 2007. Hon. Charles B. Rangel, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Rangel: Thank you for your letter regarding the Committee on Ways and Means' jurisdictional interest in H.R. 2419, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act 2007. I appreciate your willingness to expedite this legislation for floor consideration, with the understanding that it does not prejudice your Committee's jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation. I will submit a copy of your letter and this response as part of the Congressional Record during consideration of the legislation on the House floor. Thank you for your support of H.R. 2419 and your cooperation as we work towards enactment of this important legislation. Sincerely, Collin C. Peterson, Chairman.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I think that the other gentlemen have eloquently stated the case, and I want to reiterate that this is not a fair process to single out one commodity. I want to take the balance of my time to recognize the tremendous efforts of the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry) in working with us on this farm bill. And also, if he were here, he would be speaking out very strongly on this amendment as well. We oppose this amendment and encourage our colleagues to support us in that regard. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the chairman of the General Farm Commodity Subcommittee that deals with this issue, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota

Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) be permitted to control half the time in opposition.