An Advocate for Agriculture

Senator Conrad is one of the most senior Members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. In the 110th Congress, he also serves as the Chairman on the key subcommittee on Energy, Science, and Technology. These leadership positions, coupled with his roles as Chairman of the Budget Committee and third-ranking member of the powerful Finance Committee, solidify Senator Conrad's position as a leading advocate for American farmers and ranchers on a wide range of agricultural, trade, tax, and budget issues. Senator Conrad is fighting for North Dakota farmers and ranchers by:

Improving the Farm Bill in 2007
Fighting for Disaster Assistance
Seeking a Level Playing Field on International Trade
Working to Protect North Dakota's Livestock Industry
Creating New Opportunities for Sportsmen, Farmers, and Rural Communities

As one of the key negotiators of the existing Farm Bill, Senator Conrad helped improve farm policy over the previous “Freedom to Farm” policy enacted in 1996. The 2002 Farm Bill added the counter-cyclical payment program, and increased target prices and loan rates for crops grown by North Dakota farmers. Further, the 2002 Farm Bill has cost considerably less than initially projected and provided a better safety net to North Dakota producers than previous farm policy.

As Congress writes a new Farm Bill, Senator Conrad believes it is critical that new legislation build on the success of the 2002 Farm Bill. Senator Conrad's priorities in a new farm bill are:

• Maintaining and improving current commodity programs.
• A stronger energy title for agriculture.
• Improving crop insurance so that it adequately protects farmers who suffer crop loss.
• Looking for ways to enact a permanent disaster program.
• Enhancing the conservation of our natural resources.

Senator Conrad believes the biggest opportunity for North Dakota in the 2008 Farm Bill is to develop a national energy policy based on the crops we grow. By enacting new and innovative ways to “grow” our energy, our nation could rely more on North Dakota's producers to fuel our energy needs and begin to rely less of energy imports from unstable regions in the world. We could look to the Midwest, instead of the Mideast, for our energy needs.

Senator Conrad led the effort in the Senate to secure $3 billion in disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers who lost crops and livestock from natural disasters in 2005 and 2006. The disaster package was based on legislation Senator Conrad introduced in January; the bill passed the Senate on May 24, and was signed into law on May 25, 2007.

The disaster assistance provides relief both crop loss and declines in crop quality, and it establishes a Livestock Compensation Program to help ranchers cover higher feed expenses in USDA-designated disaster counties. It also provides indemnity payments for livestock deaths due to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, extreme heat, and anthrax.

The passage of disaster relief culminates a two-year effort by Senator Conrad that began when heavy rain and floods drowned out thousands of planted acres and prevented another million acres from being planted in 2005. His effort continued in 2006 with the widening drought in North Dakota - a drought documented as the third worst drought on record.

The bill does not make any family farmer or rancher whole, and only those producers who insured their crops are eligible. Also, because of budget restrictions, producers must choose from losses they saw in 2005, 2006 or early 2007. They are not eligible for relief for multiple years.

Seeking a Level Playing Field on International Trade

Senator Conrad has argued against Bush Administration trade goals that would keep our farmers at an economic disadvantage while our competitors spend more on their domestic and export support programs – and continue to hold their unfair advantage in global trade. In April, Senator Conrad sent a letter to President Bush warning him that any outcome in world trade talks must have a positive outcome for U.S. producers or that it would be rejected in the Senate. A bipartisan group of 57 Senators signed Senator Conrad's letter.

Senator Conrad also opposes the Bush Administration's World Trade Organization proposal to reduce the funding available for U.S. commodity programs by 53 percent. Further, the Bush Administration agreed in the WTO negotiations to cut so-called “amber box” programs, such as the commodity marketing loan, sugar and dairy programs, by 60 percent. The deal allowed the E.U. to provide its farmers nearly double the level of support that is offered to U.S. farmers. Senator Conrad has characterized this proposal as very risky for U.S. farmers because there is no assurance of gains in either market share or farm income, while the safety net for farmers will be reduced.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the average level of support for the 30 OECD member-countries was 31 percent, while in the United States the level was just 18 percent. In the case of agricultural export subsidies, the contrast is even greater. In 2000, the EU accounted for 87 percent of the world agricultural export subsidies, while the U.S. share was only 1 percent. The bottom line: U.S. farmers should not be forced to go it alone in a world agricultural marketplace that is neither free nor fair.

Working to Protect North Dakota's Livestock Industry

Senator Conrad has long been a fighter for North Dakota's livestock industry. Senator Conrad stands up for North Dakota ranchers when unfair public policy threatens to erode their economic security. One area of particular importance to livestock producers is trade with foreign nations.

Last year, Senator Conrad helped lead a successful effort to re-open the lucrative Japanese market to American beef. Japan had unfairly closed their market to U.S. cattle imports following the 2003 discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also know as mad cow disease, in a Canadian-born cow.

Senator Conrad also argued that all trade negotiations with South Korea should be suspended until that nation resumed it's importation of U.S. beef. Senator Conrad made that argument in a 2006 letter to the U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Agriculture.

Senator Conrad also opposed opening the Canadian border to live cattle imports because of the risk that Canadian cattle may carry “mad cow” disease to the U.S. cattle industry. Senator Conrad opposed the open Canadian border after evidence emerged that Canada has not adequately enforced livestock feed regulations and is not in compliance with international guidelines concerning mad cow. In 2005, Senator Conrad's legislation to block the opening of the Canadian border passed the Senate on a 52-46 bipartisan vote. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives failed to take action on his resolution.

Senator Conrad also strongly supports mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). He is a cosponsor of legislation that would push up the implementation date to September 2007 from September 2008.

Senator Conrad has also cosponsored legislation to allow the interstate shipment of state inspected meat as a way to expand markets for livestock producers and create new business opportunities for small meat processors.

Creating New Opportunities for Sportsmen, Farmers, and Rural Communities

Senator Conrad was joined by Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas once again this year to introduce Senator Conrad's "Open Fields" bill, formally known as the Voluntary Public Access and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. This measure has garnered significant bipartisan support so far this year, as well as the support of 40 hunting, fishing and outdoor organizations. Senator Conrad is working to include his Open Fields proposal in the new Farm Bill.

“Open Fields” recognizes the need to maintain access for sportsmen – and for federal policy to encourage landowners to voluntary participate in state-operated programs.

Specifically, the “Open Fields” legislation introduced by Senator Conrad during the last session of Congress would have provided up to $20 million per year in grant funding, administered by USDA, to supplement state and tribal efforts to provide public access on private land for outdoor recreation. Many states have voluntary incentive payment programs, but don't have the resources to provide enough of an incentive to the landowner to participate.

By introducing "Open Fields," Senator Conrad believes incentives to farmers and ranchers can expand public access for outdoor activities. It would also enhance the economies of rural areas frequented by hunters, fishermen, and others engaged in outdoor recreation.

Senator Conrad is convinced that the "Open Fields" legislation represents a win-win opportunity for farmers and ranchers, sportsmen and rural communities.