FOR WHAT THEY PRODUCE GROWS WIDER AND WIDER. SO I'M SAYING
           WE'VE GOT TO HAVE MORE COMPETITIVE MARKETS, I'M SAYING WE WANT
           TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. I DIDN'T SAY
           IN THIS RESOLUTION, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT, I
           KNOW SENATOR CONRAD WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE TO TALK ABOUT THIS,
           THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A FAIR TRADE POLICY. BUT, . PRESIDENT,
           MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I COME TO THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED
           STATES WANTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF CLOSE TO 3,000

           FARMERS AND PEOPLE FROM RURAL AMERICA. THEY WERE HERE YESTERDAY
           IN THE POWERING RAIN UNDER A TENT. -- POURING RAIN, UNDER A
           TENT. PEOPLE CAME TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THEY CAME TO SPEAK
           WITH SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. THEY DID NOT COME BECAUSE
           THEY HAVE SOME PARTY STRATEGY. THEY DIDN'T COME BECAUSE THEY
           HAD A PARTICULAR PARTISAN ORIENTATION. THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT
           THEIR OWN FAMILIES AND THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. AND I WANT TO SAY
           ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE BECAUSE I AM LUCKY TO
           GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

           AND THESE FARMERS CAN'T SPEAK ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES
           SENATE, THAT THERE IS AN ECONOMIC CONVULSION TAKING PLACE IN
           AGRICULTURE TODAY. AND MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE ARE BEING SPIT OUT
           OF THE ECONOMY. AND TOO MANY LIVES ARE BEING SHATTERED. AND THE
           HEALTH AND VITALITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN RURAL NORTH DAKOTA OR
           MINNESOTA OR ANY OF THE OTHER HEARTLAND STATES IS NOT BASED
           UPON THE NUMBER OF ACRES FARMED OR THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT

           SOMEONE OWNS BUT THE NUMBER OF FAMILY FARMERS THAT LIVE IN
           THESE COMMUNITIES. SO MR. PRESIDENT, WHETHER WE ARE TALKING
           ABOUT DAIRY FARMERS, OR WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CO GROWERS
           OR WHEAT GROWERS, WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR LIVESTOCK
           PRODUCERS, IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY INTOLERABLE SITUATION, AND IT IS
           A SITUATION THAT WE CAN'T TURN OUR GAZE AWAY FROM. SO, FOR ME
           TO SUMMARIZE, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT MIGHT
           WANT TO SPEAK, THE FINDINGS TALK ABOUT THOUSANDS OF RURAL

           CITIZENS AND FAMILIES COMING. THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY'S VOICE
           WAS WONDERFUL. THE FINDINGS TALK ABOUT A BROAD COALITION OF
           OVER 30 FARM, ENVIRONMENTAL AND LABOR -- I THANK THE AFLC I AM
           O FOR BEING HERE. I THANK BERNIE YOU BRUMEER FROM THE MINNESOTA
           AFL-CIO FOR BEING HERE, I THANK JERRY FROM AFSCME FOR BEING
           HERE. IT MAKES THE POINT THAT THOUGH THE MAJORITY OF AMERICA IS
           REAPING THE BENEFITS OF A STRONG ECONOMY, RURAL AMERICA IS

           FACING REALLY THE TOUGHEST OF TIMES. THIS TALKSABOUT RECORD LOW
           PRICES ON FARMS AND RANCHES AND THE WAY IT HAS RIPPLED
           THROUGHOUT RURAL AMERICA CAUSING RURAL COMMUNITIES TO FACE ALL
           KINDS OF CHALLENGES. A DEPRESSED FARM ECONOMY, THE ESCALATION
           OF THE MERGERS AND AGO SIGNIFICANCES, THE LOSS OF BUSINESSES
           AND JOBS ON MAIN STREET, THE EROSION OF HEALTH CARE AND
           EDUCATION, THE DECLINE IN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE LOGS OF
           INDEPENDENT FAMILY FARMERS. AND THIS RESOLUTION -- THIS IS --

           THE PURPOSE IS TO EXPRESS THE ACCEPTS OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING
           THE RALLY FOR RURAL AMERICA AND THE RURAL CRISIS -- IS TO THANK
           PEOPLE FOR BEING HERE AND TO TALK ABOUT AND TO MAKE IT CLEAR
           THAT WE WILL IN FACT, AND I WILL WIN I SHALL WITH THE -- FINISH
           WITH THE WORDING, THAT WE CONGRATULATE PEOPLE AND RESPOND WITH
           A STRONG AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND THAT WE ARE
           COMMITTED TO DEALING WITH THIS CRISIS, THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO
           GIVING IT OUR FULL ATTENTION, IN PARTICULAR IN A MANNER THAT

           WILL ALLEVIATE THE AGRICULTURAL PRICE CRISIS, THAT WILL ENSURE
           COMPETITIVE MARKETS, THAT WILL LEAD TO AN INVESTMENT IN
           EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE, PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND
           ENSURE A SAFE AND SECURE FOOD SUPPLY. IF IT IN FACT WE CONTINUE
           TO LOSE OUR PRODUCERS, AND IF IN FACT WE GO THE TREND OF AN
           INCREASINGLY CORPS PRACTICE ADVERTISED INDUSTRIALIZED
           AGRICULTURE, IT WILL BE A TRANSITION OUR COUNTRY WILL DEEPLY
           REGRET. DEEPLY REGRET. I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR

           AMERICA. I TELL MU MY HEART AND SOUL GOES OUT TO THE PEOPLE
           THAT WERE HERE. AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE GOOD SUPPT FOR THIS
           SENSE OF THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO THIS VERY GOOD PIECE OF
           LEGISLATION. I WOULD RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WHO YIELDS TIME IN OPPOSITION?

           MR. DORGAN: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
           

           MR. DORGAN: MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING THE
           EXCELLENT WORK OF THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS, SENATOR ROBERT,
           SENATOR KERR KERREY FROM NEBRASKA, MY CONRAD, SENATOR CONRAD
           FROM NORTH DAKOTA FOR BRIG THIS TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. IT
           IS MY INTENTION TO SUPPORT THIS. I THINK THE SENSE OF THE
           SENATE RESOLUTION OFFERED BY THE SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA,
           SENATOR WELLSTONE, CERTAINLY IS THOUGHTFUL AND WORTHY OF
           SUPPORT AS WELL. I TOO WANT TO JOIN HIM IN SAYING TO MY
           COLLEAGUE SENATOR LUGAR THAT I ALWAYS FELT HE IS A MAJOR

           CONTRIBUTOR TO MOST EVERY PUBLIC KBIT IN THIS SENATE,
           ESPECIALLY ON FOREIGN POLICY AND A RANGE OF OTHER THINGS, BUT
           IT IS TRUE THAT WE DISAGREE ON FARM POLICY FROM TIME TO TIME.
           HE AND I HAVE RECENTLY HAD AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS ABOUT THAT
           DISAGREEMENT, BUT THAT DOES NOT IN ANY WAY DIMINISH MY RESPECT
           FOR HIM AS A LEADER AND LEGISLATOR. MY FERVENT HOPE IS THAT
           SOMETIME I COULD REACH OVER AND REFER OUT TO SENATOR LUGAR AND
           CONVINCE HIM THAT WE NEED TO TOMORROW, ON THURSDAY, START A
           SERIES OF HEARINGS AND CHANGE THE FARM BILL. BUT I DON'T EXPECT

           THAT WILL BE THE CASE AND HE WILL CERTAINLY EXPLAIN HIS
           POSITION ON THESE ISSUES IN AN ARTICULATE WAY SOON. BUT LET ME
           DESCRIBE SOME OF MY FEELINGS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. LET ME START
           WITH THIS. I SAY TO MY FRIEND FROM MINNESOTA, THIS MORNING FOR
           BREAKFAST I HAD SOMETHING CALLED CRIME OF WHEAT. I DON'T KNOW
           HOW MANY SER SYRINGES OF CREAM OF WHEAT ARE SERVED IN AMERICA
           EVERY MORNING OR EVERY YEAR, BUT A LOT OF THEM. CREAM OF WHEAT,
           IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ORIGIN OF IT JUST FOR FUN, CREAM OF
           WHEAT -- I NOTICE THE PRESIDING OFFICER IS HANGING ON MY EVERY

           WORD HERE -- CREAM OF WHEAT CAME FROM GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA
           IN THE YEAR 1893. A LITTLE OLD MILL CALLED THE DIAMOND MILLS,
           WASN'T DOING VERY WELL, THEY HAD A SCIENCE ACTIVITY WHO WAS
           SORT OF MOVING AROUND AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE COULD DO
           WITH VARIOUS PARTS OF THE GRAIN. HE USE WHAT HAD ARE CALLED THE
           MID-LINS OF WHEAT AND CONCOCTED WHAT A CALLED A WRECK FAST POE
           RIDGE. SO A MAN NAMED TOM AMADON IN GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA

           IN 18893 CONCOCTED BREAK FAST PO E. POE RIDGE AND IT IS WHAT IS
           CALLED CREAM OF WHEAT. IT IS WHAT I AT FOR BREAKFAST THIS
           MORNING. CREAM OF WHEAT COMES FROM THE WHEAT FIELD OF NORTH
           DAKOTA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. A FARMER BUYS A TRACTOR,
           PLANTS THE SEED AND DOES ALL THE WORK TO PRODUCE THIS WHEAT,
           THEN IT IS GROUND AND AMONG THAT GRINDING YOU GET SOME MD LINKS
           AND THEN SOMEBODY PRODUCES BREAK FAST FOOD WITH THE MID-LINKS.
           CREAM OF WHEAT DOESN'T COME FROM GRAND FORKS NORTH DAKOTA I
           MUST SAY WITH DISAPPOINTMENT. IT IS NOW OWNED BY NABISCO

           COMPANY. IT IS PRODUCED IN MY COLLEAGUE'S HOME STATE OF
           MINNESOTA. THE MIDDLINGS, THE CREAM OF WHEAT THE JOBS DO NOT
           BELONG TO THE FOLKS THAT GAGS THE TRACTOR AND PLANTED THE GRAIN
           AND HARVESTED THE SEED. NO, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS IN
           AGRICULTURE. OUR FARMERS GO OUT AND PLANT A CROPE, CORN, WHEAT,
           BARLEY, AND THEN SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND BUYS IT AND TAKE A LO
           AT THAT KERNEL AND SAY WE OUGHT TO PUFF THAT UP AND PUT IT IN A
           BRIGHT COLORED BOX AND WE WILL TAKE THAT WHEAT AND WE WILL CALL
           IT PUFFED WHEAT. AND GUESS WHAT THAT COSTS?

           GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND BUY PUFFED WHEAT, PUFFED RICE. THEY
           PUFF IT, THEY SHRED IT, THEY CRISP IT, THEY MA NICHE LATE IT IN
           100 DIFFERENT WAYS AND SEND IT TO THE STORE SHELF WITH BRIGHT
           COLORED BOXES AND THE FARMER GETS A PITTANCE FOR BECAUSE THE
           FARMER IS TOLD GRAIN DOESN'T HAVE VALUE FOR ANYMORE AT THE
           GROCERY STORE SHELF COSTS A FORTUNE. BECAUSE NOW IT HAS BEEN
           PUFFED. SO THE PUFF IS APPARENTLY MORE VALUABLE THAN THE SEED
           THAT'S PRODUCED OUT OF THE GROUND FROM THE TIRELESS WORK OF A
           FAMILY FARMER. AND THAT DESCRIBES PART OF THE PROBLEM IN THIS

           SYSTEM OF OURS. WE HAD A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE COME TO DOWN AS
           THE SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA DESCRIBED. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT
           COULD AFFORD TO COME. I AM SURE IT WAS A STRUGGLE FOR MANY OF
           THEM. FOLKS FROM MY STATE, 4 HUNDRED-OF THEM GOT ON BUSES.
           SEVEN BUSES -- 400 OF THEM GOT ON BUSES. SIX DAYS DRIVING TO
           WASHINGTON AND BACK TO NORTH DAKOTA. THE FELLOW FROM JUST WEST
           OF VALLEY CITY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AMONG THEM BECAUSE HE STOOD

           UP AT A MEETING I HAD SOME WHILE AGO AND HIS CHIN BEGAN TO
           TREMBLE HE HAD TEARS IN HIS EYES ARCS BIG HUSKY GUY WITH A
           BEARD SAID HIS GRAND DAD FARMED HIS FARM, HIS DAD FARMED HIS
           FARM AND HE RMED IT FOR 23 YEARS AND THEN HIS CHIN BEGAN TO
           TREMBLE AND HE SAID I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. I AM BEING FORCED
           OFF THE FARM. YOU CAN SEE WITH HIM IT WASN'T ABOUT DOLLARS AND
           CENT. IT WAS THE LOSS OF A DREAM. A BROKEN HEART AND BROKEN
           DREAMS. I AM SURE HE DIDN'T COME OUT HERE BECAUSE HE IS NOT
           FARMING ANYMORE AND COULDN'T AFFORD IT. HE IS PROBABLY
           STRUGGLING AFTER 23 YEARS ON A FARM TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING

           ELSE TO DO. ANOTHER JOB TO TRY TO MAKE SAM INCOME. AND HE MADE
           A POINT AS SO MANY FARMERS DO THAT HE WAS A GOOD FARMER, HE
           SATISFIED. HE DIDN'T WASTE MONEY. DIDN'T GO TO TOWN ON WEEKEND
           NIGHTS. DIDN'T BUY NEW CLOTHES. TOLD THE KIDS THEY COULDN'T
           AFFORD A NEW PAIR OF JEENSZ FOR SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE
           THE MONEY. HE SAID THIS ISN'T MY FAULT. COLLAPSED PRICES AREN'T
           MY FAULT. BAD TRADE AGREEMENTS ARE NOT MY FAULT. MONOPOLIES
           THAT PRESS THEIR BOOTS DOWN ON THE CHESTS OF FAMILY FARMERS
           AR'T MY FAULT, AND HE IS RIGHT WITH THAT. HE DIDN'T CAUSE THESE

           PROBLEMS. NOW SOMEWHERE IN THE CREVICE BETWEEN MATHEMATICS AND
           VIRTUE RESTS A BLINDNESS SOMEHOW THAT RE-VIEWSS TO RECOGNIZE
           VALUE BE VALUES. -- --REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE VALUE AND VALUES. WE
           THINK OF THIS ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF NUMBERS, NOT UNDERSTANDING
           THAT FARMERS PRODUCE SOMETHING MORE THAN A CROP. YES, A FARMER
           PRODUCES WHEAT IN THE FIELDS OF NORTH DAKOTA. THAT FAMILY
           LIVING ON THE FARM ALSO PRODUCES A SOCIAL PRODUCT THAT MOST

           ECONOMISTS AND MOST OTHERS BELIEVE HAS NO VALUE WHATSOEVER IN
           OUR COUNTRY. A SOCIAL PRODUCT CALLED COMMUNITY, CALLED FAMILY
           VALUES, CALLED PART OF OUR CULTURE THAT ALL OF US UNDERSTAND,
           AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S GOOD, A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S FREE OF
           CRIME, A LIFESTYLE IN WHICH NEIGHBORS HELP ONE ANOTHER. WHEN
           EARNEST HAD A HEART ATTACK IN HARVEST TIME IN MY HOME TIME THE
           NEIGHBORS TOOK THE CROP OFF THE FIELD. WHY?
           BECAUSE THEY WERE COMPETITORS?
           NO, THEY WERE NEIGHBORS. THAT'S HAS SOCIAL VALUE. THE

           ECONOMISTS SAY IT HAS NO VALUE. EUROPE'S SAY IT HAS VALUE. IN
           TRADE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPE AND UNITED STATES SAY
           THEY WANT SOMETHING CALLED MULTIFUNCTION NATIONAL CONSIDERED.
           OUR TRADE PEOPLE SCRATCH THEIR HEADS AND SAY WHAT ARE YOU
           TALKING ABOUT MULTIFUNCTION NATIONAL. EUROPEANS SAY THERE IS AN
           IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF FARMING HERE WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE
           NUMBERS, THE HARD NUMBERS. WHAT'S MISSING IS COMMUNITY, VALUES,
           AND A CERTAIN CULTURE THAT WE WANT TO RETAIN AND SUSTAIN IN OUR
           FUTURE. AND OUR TRADE NEGOTIATORS, THEY JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND
           THAT. THEY SAY WELL WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THIS IS ALL ABOUT

           DOLLARS AND CENTS. THIS IS ABOUT MARKETS. MY POINT IS, FAMILY
           FARMS PRODUCE MORE THAN JUST GRAIN. THEY PRODUCE SOMETHING VERY
           IMPORTANT FOR THIS COUNTRY. IT IS A SOCIAL PRODUCT THAT THIS
           COUNTRY OUGHT TO WANT TO RETAIN AND KEEP. NOW, THERE ARE A
           SERIES OF THINGS WE MUST DO TO RESPOND TO THE URGENT NEEDS OF
           FAMILY FARMERS. WE MUST REPAIR A SAFETY NET THAT DOES NOT NOW
           PROVIDE THE KIND OF ASSISTANCE FAMILY FARMERS NEED WHEN PRICES

           COLLAPSE. FAMILY FARMERS CAN'T MAKE IT ACROSS THE VALLEY WHEN
           PRICES COLLAPSE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF SAFETY NET TO BRIDGE THAT
           VALLEY. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, WE MUST HAVE BETTER
           TRADE AGREEMENTS. FAMILY FARMERS CAN'T COMPETE WITH ONE ARM
           TIED BEHIND THEIR BACK. IT IS NOT FAIR. THE CANADIAN TRADE
           AGREEMENT WASN'T FAIR TO OUR FAMILY FARMERS. IT SOLD OUT OUR
           FAMILY FARMER'S INTERESTS. I REGRET SAYING THAT BUT I COULD
           BRING DATA TO THE FLOOR JUST RELEASED YESTERDAY THAT

           DEMONSTRATES ONCE AGAIN IT WAS. GALT WAS UNFAIR. NAFTA WAS
           UNFAIR. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO COMP SPEAK AT GREAT LENGTH ABOUT
           THAT BUT I WON'T TODAY. A BETTER SAFETY NET, BETTER TRADE
           POLICIES AND ACTION AGAINST MONOPOLIES. FARMERS OUGHT NOT TO
           HAVE TO MARKET UPSTREAM WHEN THEY ARE SELLING FAT STEERS INTO
           THE CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE JUST SEVERAL COMPANIES CONTROL 80% OF
           THE STEER SLAUGHTER. AND THE SAME IS TRUE IN EVERY DIRECTION A
           FARMER LOOKS. WANT TO PUT THE GRAIN ON A RAILROAD SOMEPLACE?

           GUESS WHAT, YOU HAVE TO PUT IT ON A RAILROAD THAT'S A MONOPOLY
           IN MOST CASES AND THE RAILROAD SAYS THIS IS WHAT WE CHARGE AND
           IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT TOUGH LUCK. TO GIVE YOU A SHORT EXAMPLE OF
           WHAT IT MEANS IF YOU HAVE A CARLOAD OF WHEAT IN BISMARCK, NORTH
           DAKOTA AND WANT TO SHIP IS IT TO MINNEAPOLIS, YOU WILL BE
           CHARGED $2,300 TO SHIP IT FROM POINT-TO-POINT. SHIP THE SAME
           FROM MINNEAPOLI TO CHICAGO ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE YOU ARE
           CHARGED $1,000. NOW WHY ARE NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS CHARGED MORE
           THAN DOUBLE TO SHIP A CARLOAD OF WHEAT ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE?

           BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMPETITION IN NORTH DAKOTA ON THAT LINE.
           AND BETWEEN MINNEAPOLIS AND CHICAGO THERE IS. THAT IS CALLED
           MONOPOLY PRICING AND IT IS UNFAIR TO OUR FAMILY FARMERS. SO THE
           FOURTH THING WE NEED TO DO IS FIX CROP INSURANCE. THAT'S WHAT
           THIS DOES. AND IT IS WHY I AM HERE SUPPORTING IT. I KNOW THAT
           IS A LONG INTRODUCTION TO GET TO THIS SUPPORT AND I WILL BE
           VERY BRIEF TO SAY I THINK THIS LEGISLATION HAS A LOT TO COMMEND
           ITSELF TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE. THIS IS A GOOD PIECE OF
           LEGISLATION. PERFECT, NO, BUT GOOD. HERE IS WHAT IT DOES. IT

           MAKES CROP INSURANCE MORE AFFORDABLE AT BUY YUP COVERAGE
{END: 2000/03/22 TIME: 16-15 , Wed.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}