The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE BUDGET FOR CORPORATE FARMERS MUST BE CUT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E533 on March 7, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE BUDGET FOR CORPORATE FARMERS MUST BE CUT
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HON. MAJOR R. OWENS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, March 7, 1995
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, American Agribusiness is one of the most successful industries on the face of the Earth. Due to the vision and foresight of the Congress which enacted the legislation which created the land grant colleges, the agricultural experiment stations, and the county agents, Government research and development made it possible for our farmers to leap way ahead of the rest of the world. No other nation's agriculture industry is even close to the United States when it comes to farm output and efficiency.
Let us applaud the Department of Agriculture and all of the nameless workers who over the years have done such a magnificent job in supporting our farmers. But now, Mr. Speaker, most of that work has been done. The mission has been accomplished. We have a monumental success and we can relieve the taxpayers of the burden of helping the agriculture industry, especially the rich corporate farmers. Let's have a means test and from now on let's support only the few remaining poor farm families. Let's stop the indiscriminate subsidies. Let's end the crop insurance. Let's stop the special mortgages. Let's leave the marketplace alone and end the crop subsidies and price supports. Let's get the fat farmers off the dole. The time has come to drastically downsize the Department of Agriculture. We must end farm welfare as we know it. We owe it to the American taxpayers. In this Congress let's work hard to get fat farmers off the dole.
The following poem summarizes the seriousness of the situation:
Farmers on the Dole
Republican patriotsCome play your roleKeep fat farmersOn the doleHelping cuddly honey beesCoddling cattle grazing feesMeat a city orphanNever eatsDole for welfareDole for cheatsCongress sink your forkDeep into Republican porkHyprocisy over allDrives you up the wallO beautiful spacious skiesSmall town editorialsFestering full of liesFarmers on the doleFarmers on the doleHi-ho the dairytakeRich farmers on the doleDecades overAnd over it repeatsDole for welfareDole for cheatsThe story's never toldAbout farmers on the doleSeeds not sownWheat not grownPlow the dollarsDeep in the dirtHide the shameCover hypocrisy's hurtFarmers on the doleFarmers on the doleConfess to free money's roleRich farmers on the doleMortgage the barnUntil it dropsTimid taxpayersInsure the cropsRural swindlersHigh on the hogFood for the homelessThrown to the dogThe story's never toldAbout farmers on the doleRepublican patriotsCome play your roleKeep fat farmersOn the dole.
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