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Opening Statement: Factors impacting the cost of production
Story Date: 4/28/2016
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Source: Ag Committee Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research Ranking Member Suzan DelBene, 4/27/16
--As Prepared for Delivery—
“Thank you, Chairman Davis, for holding today’s hearing on the farm economy. It’s critical that we continue to identify the challenges facing farmers and ranchers today, especially as the Committee begins to consider the next Farm Bill.
“I’m honored to represent a district so rich in agriculture. The farmers I meet are proud of what they do, and should be. When I first came to Congress, and in the time leading up to the 2014 Farm Bill, I often heard a familiar refrain from the farmers in my district. They said they need two things: get a Farm Bill done, and pass comprehensive immigration reform.
“Passing the 2014 Farm Bill itself was a huge accomplishment. But it was also, in my view, the best Farm Bill yet for specialty crop growers, which make up a sizeable percentage of producers in my district. The investments made in programs like the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, Specialty Crop Block Grants, and the Organic Research and Extension Initiative were unprecedented and have a huge impact in the real world. This is a prime example of how Congress should be investing in programs that give us a great return on our investment, while saving money in the long run.
“Recently, Chairman Davis and I led a bipartisan letter in support of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Unfortunately, Congress hasn’t appropriated funding at the levels authorized in the Farm Bill. In the last four years, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative review process identified $3.85 billion in grants worthy of funding. However, due to budgetary constraints, the program awarded only a quarter of the projects deemed worthy. This research is a critical unmet need that vastly assists producers with pests, emerging diseases, and food safety, and ultimately lowers their cost of production.
“Which brings me to the second thing farmers I represent said they needed – comprehensive immigration reform.
“Our immigration system is broken and is badly in need of repair. Last Congress, I was one of the lead sponsors
of a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill similar to the one that passed the Senate. I believe this
bill would have passed if it had just been allowed a vote.
“And while the President’s executive actions could provide relief to some, it does nothing to solve the problem of an unworkable H-2A program.
“For too long, Congress has failed to take meaningful action to address our broken immigration system. As a result, we have a deeply flawed system that is not working for our farmers, businesses, immigrants or families.
“I see it all across our state and particularly in my district. Farmers can’t get the seasonal agriculture workers they need to support one of our state’s largest industries. Students face uncertain futures in the only country they’ve ever really known. High-tech businesses still don’t have the access they need to the global talent pool that could help create the next major innovation. And families are being torn apart.
“Despite these setbacks, I remain committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform, and I’m going to keep working with my colleagues on the Agriculture and House Judiciary Committee to get this done. Passing enforcement only mechanisms – like border security only or E-Verify only bills – would do nothing to solve the problem, and only makes matters worse.
“That being said, producers face a wide variety of challenges today, especially in the current agriculture economy. Today’s panel of witnesses spans a variety of perspectives, including Northwest Horticulture from Washington state, and I look forward to their testimony.
“Thank you again to our witnesses for being here today, and with that I yield back.”
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