The U.S. Ag Council declared this week to be the 28th Annual National Agriculture Week, but for many citizens of the First Congressional District of Arkansas, every week is agriculture week. That’s because farming, forestry, aquaculture, and ag-business represent a substantial part of our regional economy.

We all know that this is a difficult time for people involved in agriculture. Commodity prices are low, and recent natural disasters have made matters worse. Nevertheless, American farmers are by far the best farmers in the world, with the most efficient operations and the highest-quality crops.

Agriculture is really a national security issue, because our self-sufficiency depends on a reliable and sustainable source of food. That is why we need to do everything we can to make sure that farming remains a secure profession.

This is what I have been saying in Washington as Congress prepares to write a new farm bill. The consensus among knowledgeable people is that the budget baseline for agriculture spending should be raised by $12 billion, loan rates should be increased, and AMTA payments should continue.

I think we need to write the new farm bill as soon as possible, but the Republican leadership wants to wait until almost 2003. The Bush Administration said that it would give farmers an extra AMTA payment this year if a new farm bill was not passed, but it looks like it will not honor that commitment, which is unfortunate.

With this in mind, I am trying to help farmers as much as possible by sponsoring legislation in Congress. Recently I wrote a bill with Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a Republican from Missouri, to raise the LDP payment limit from $75,000 to $150,000. I also wrote letters to President Bush and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman requesting the second AMTA payment for this year. Of course, I will continue to fight for the maximum amount of disaster relief, and this week our farmers will finally begin receiving their checks to recover from the series of natural catastrophes in 2000.

International trade is an important component of agriculture policy, and we need to ensure access to foreign markets so our farmers can compete effectively. I am still committed to enforcing existing trade agreements, opening trade with Cuba, and giving fast track negotiating authority to the president. We also need to recognize that the value of the U.S. dollar on the international currency markets has a great effect on our ability to sell agricultural products, and a good economic policy will address that problem.

Right now I am concerned about President Bush’s proposals to cut agriculture funding in his new budget. I hope he will reconsider this decision, because our agriculture community is the bedrock upon which we have been able to build a strong and independent republic.

I have been farming for most of my life, and I still own and operate a farming operation in Arkansas County. These issues are important to me personally, and I understand how important they are to the entire First Congressional District. With new crops and technology being developed every day, I believe that there can be a bright future for agriculture, and I am optimistic that things will improve. In the meantime, I will do everything I can to ensure that our agricultural interests are protected, and I welcome your input, your advice, and your help.