Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Chairman Costa and Ranking Member Rouzer. I would like to touch on one of the more devastating examples of an invasive species that is currently affecting Texas and much of the country—feral swine. Farmers, ranchers, and landowners have been dealing with the destruction caused by wild pigs for decades. Most estimate that feral swine cause over $1.5 bill... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As many on this Committee know, reauthorizing the CFTC has been a longstanding goal of mine. The bill before us is a bipartisan bill, and I’m happy that we’re able to include important priorities for many of the members who ring this dais. I’d like to highlight two. Perhaps no issue is more central to the Commission’s ability to regulate t... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Madam Chair. We again meet today against a backdrop of tough times in agriculture. Whether it is sustained flooding, early winter storms, or continued market uncertainty, agricultural producers face unbelievable risk. And for organic farmers, ranchers, and dairymen, that risk is no different. That is one of the reasons I am proud that we were able to co... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good afternoon, and thank you Chair Spanberger for holding today’s hearing to examine the benefits of precision agriculture on conservation, one of the many tools we have at our disposal to improve conservation practices on farms and ranches. With the rapid advances in technology over the past several years, precision agriculture has become increasingly important ... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning and welcome, Dr. Hutchins. Thank you for your service and for spending some of your time with us today. I look forward to your testimony and for the chance to hear an update on your progress implementing the 2018 Farm Bill. Those of us representing rural areas know that times are still tough for agricultural producers. Farmers ... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Madam Chair, thank you for holding today’s hearing to discuss the vitally important infrastructure of our National Forest System. When Congress created the National Forest System more than one hundred years ago, it was designed so that the surrounding communities would benefit from the multiple uses. Not only are our national forests a source of immense natural be... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Chairmen Vela and Costa, thank you for holding this important hearing regarding implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill provisions and disaster assistance and thank you to Undersecretary Northey for attending and providing an update on the status of these important policies. As those of us representing rural America know firsthand, times are tough in farm country. Ov... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Madam Chair, thank you for holding today’s hearing to review the National Organic Program. Consumer demand for agricultural goods produced under the organic seal continues to show double-digit growth, providing market incentives for U.S. farmers across a broad range of products. According to USDA, organic sales account for over 4% of total U.S. food sales. U.S. fa... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning everyone. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today’s hearing to consider the state of the livestock and poultry economies. We are meeting today against the backdrop of incredibly difficult times in the agricultural industry. Our producers find themselves in a precarious spot after facing several years of extreme weather, volatile feed costs, uncerta... Read more »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Mr. Chairman, thank you for scheduling this hearing. It is an important topic, and one that has been top of mind for our members for a long time. As the Ranking Member noted in his opening statement, broadband access is not about convenience, it’s about being able to participate in modern life and the economy, which is rapidly moving onto the Internet. For those w... Read more »
