These conditions are bankrupting many family farms, which have made the agricultural sector one of the most productive in the Nation, indeed the world. Increasingly, our farmland is being turned into larger farms run by absent owners and great corporations. This trend will result eventually in diminished productivity. One of the most important objectives of the farm bill is to emphasize the need for greater exports of farm commodities. We should applaud the administration's avowed intention to pursue an aggressive program to develop and expand foreign agricultural markets.
Farm products are a major asset of our Nation in foreign trade and international relations.
To be sure, this is not a perfect bill. It is not satisfactory to everyone. In fact, it has been attacked from both sides. Yet we should keep in mind that the Agriculture Committee held exhaustive markup sessions and then, due to changed economic conditions and assumptions, made additional downward spending adjustments. Considering the complexity of the task, stemming from the variety of commodities and the need for budgetary restraint, the Senate should be proud of its work.