Differing Philosophies Reflected in Harkin, Lugar Reactions

February 14, 2002

Reaction from the top Democrat and the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee to the Senate's approval of a farm bill reflects opposing philosophical points of view regarding farm policy.

Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) says the bill will improve current agricultural policies and protect farm income, conserve resources, enhance economic growth and create job. The ranking committee Republican, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) believes it "creates incentives for overproduction by making larger payments to a few big farms thus guaranteeing overall lower prices for farm commodities and perpetual calls for more assistance by federal lawmakers."

"This new bipartisan farm bill is a important victory for the economy of rural America, and it couldn't come at a more crucial time" said Harkin. "Our family farmers and rural communities are struggling, and this bill offers some hope for the future. This is the economic recovery package rural and small town America needs. It will bring new jobs, new markets and greater opportunity." Harkin continued, "I'm also proud that this bill makes good on our commitment to make conservation a centerpiece of farm policy. That's good for our family farmers and it's good for our environment.

It doubles our commitment to conservation. And the new Conservation Security Program will strengthen the good environmental practices already in place in farms across the nation." But Lugar was able to find only some parts of the bill he could support. The bill "does include good provisions that increase the U.S. commitment to conservation, credit for young farmers, job creating rural development, nutrition, agricultural research, biomass ethanol and renewable energy. I will work to retain those sections when the bill goes to the House-Senate conference."

He added, "Unfortunately when it comes to vastly increased taxpayer expenditures on farm programs, the legislation goes in the wrong direction. The federal government is now spending more money than it is taking in. That means each dollar of deficit spending comes from the Social Security Trust Fund. The extra $44 billion being spent by this bill on farm programs over the next five years -- on top of existing programs -- would not only come out of Social Security, but it is money that could also be spent on Medicare reform, prescription drug coverage for senior citizens, education or any other taxpayer priority."