A REFLECTION ON FARM POLICY

Today we begin discussions on one of the most important farm policy matters to be addressed in recent years. The 1995 Farm Bill will soon set the stage for another five years of domestic food and fiber production. Reflecting on current federal farm policy, the American consumer still enjoys the most plentiful food supply at the lowest cost in the entire civilized world, and through the 1995 Farm Bill we must continue to build on this foundation.

The world around us has evolved over the past five years, and now our agricultural livelihood must evolve in response to these changes. And equally important, we must prepare for the next millennium of American agriculture. For example, never before has the global agricultural market been so critical to Missouri farm producers. And yet in some reaches of the globe,never has the outlook been so promising.

The opportunities for new partnerships between American farm producers and related agribusinesses with the expanding economies of Asia, eastern Europe,the former Soviet republics and other far corners of the globe hold great promise. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture anticipates that farm exports for 1995 will hit a record of over $48 billion in sales. Equally encouraging, USDA trade figures indicate this growth will continue through the year 2005. Population growth, rising per-capita incomes, NAFTA and the Uruguay Round Trade Agreements, along with new production and marketing technologies are among the factors cited for the upbeat outlook.

The 1995 Farm Bill also encompasses a broad range of issues that will keep this nation's people from hunger and help ensure prosperity to all components of our domestic economy. With the increasing complexity of domestic and international consumer and producer issues, balancing these interests poses a significant challenge. However, we can all be greatly encouraged that the House Agriculture Committee, under the highly capable leadership of Chairman Pat Roberts, will successfully mold and shape the future of American agricultural policy.

Education and research also play a major role in the profitable future of American agriculture. The Delta Research Center is a great example of how the future of our farming livelihood is shaped by science and advanced methodologies that represent and investment in our future. Due to the effort of the Delta center's accomplished superintendent, Jake Fischer, and his diligent staff, all of American agriculture is benefited by the scientific advancements developed right here in our own backyard. As one example, the Delta center's efforts to eradicate the soybean cyst nematode are critical in the face of countless thousands of dollars that are lost every year to this soybean pest. But it is the work being done here at the Delta center, right now, that will rescue these soybean yields and profits in the years ahead. I commend Jake and everyone here at the Delta center who work so hard in order to secure the livelihood of Missouri farmers for generations to come.

The formulation of federal farm policy also has a profound effect upon the creation and sustainment of jobs in rural America. The economic vitality of our rural communities continues to hinge on the success of our agricultural industry. A prosperous rural economy means greater opportunities for the local men and women who sell the farm implements, drive the grain and livestock trucks, deliver the feed, gin the cotton, mill the rice, market the seed and fertilizer and process the fruits of our harvest so as to maintain our position as the world's most efficient and reliable food supplier.

As the world population continues to rise and the number of consumers around the globe increases, our resources will be in even higher demand. We must be prepared and ready, well in advance of that demand, in order to take full advantage of what we have to offer, especially here in southern Missouri where we have a ready and able work force to fill the jobs that will be created by these efforts. In this time of peace and prosperity, we must expand our factories and processing industries and open more markets domestically and overseas in order to secure continued farm growth.

In conclusion, it is also clear that budget restraints will play a major role in our farm policy outlook, so farmers must be able to derive a greater proportion of their income from he marketplace. The challenge of policy makers and the agricultural community alike will be to meet responsible budget requirements while giving the U.S. farmer both fair fiscal treatment and the opportunity to prosper by serving domestic and world market needs. I look forward to working with all parties to meet these demands while not sacrificing the gains American agriculture has achieved over the years.

Rep. Bill Emerson, R-8th District, is from Cape Girardeau and is vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. This is the statement he made last week to open a hearing on the 1995 Farm Bill at the Delta Research Center in Portageville.