Whether it is in the Halls of Congress in Washington, D.C., the World Food Summit in Rome, or at a local county Farmers Union meeting, you have a valuable asset in Lee Swenson and his dedicated board and staff. Thank you all. This comes at a time when we've reduced Federal spending while improving government efficiency. And we will balance the budget, possibly this year. Interest rates remain relatively low, and home ownership is at all time highs.
Unemployment is lower than it has been in decades.
But on the other hand, not all sectors of our economy are doing as well. Of course, that reminds me of what Harry Truman used to say about economists. Truman remarked that he was always looking for a one-armed economist. Well, I've got both my arms, and I realize things are not that great for many in the production agriculture sector. I know that the prices farmers and ranchers receive for most, if not all, of their crops and livestock have dropped dramatically since passage of the 1996 Farm Bill.