The Honorable Dan Glickman Secretary of Agriculture on the Farm Crisis
                                                               
                                            Release No. 0377.98

Statement
                                 
                               of
      the Honorable Dan Glickman Secretary of Agriculture
                      on the Farm Crisis 
                        September 17, 1998
     
     "I am pleased that the majority in the House has finally recognized the
need to address the crisis our farmers and ranchers are suffering and the
driving urgency to begin the too- long neglected and overdue job of
strengthening the holes in the farm bill's safety net.

     "Since July, when the President and I endorsed the Conrad-Dorgan
amendment to begin helping farmers and ranchers hit with losses from natural
disasters, the Administration has been calling on Congress for action.  

     "Last week, I urged the Senate to pass the Daschle-Harkin proposal to
provide $1.5 billion in disaster assistance and, critically, to lift the caps
on marketing loans, providing almost $4 billion this year, so farmers can
weather this year's extraordinary drop in commodity prices.

     "Just two days ago, the President renewed his personal call on the
Congress to act, but the Senate leadership has further delayed consideration
of this crucial proposal.

     "While the House leadership's announcement of today may finally signal
that Congress  will step up the pace of its efforts so that, finally, our
farmers will see the relief that the Administration has been urging for weeks,
this package is not enough.  Congress has got to address fully the needs our
farmers and ranchers are facing and also pass the improvement to the farm bill
that the President and I have been advocating.

     "I am also pleased that the majority party in Congress has recognized
the importance of maintaining the viability of our foreign customers and am
very disappointed that the House leadership denied the full House the
opportunity today even to consider the President's IMF funding proposal    one
of the single most important and concrete action the Congress can do to
strengthen our farm exports, maintaining the phenomenal growth in exports
realized under this Administration's leadership."

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