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• HURRICANE RELIEF

While in Congress, I have worked hard to protect our farm families so that they could continue to provide all of us with safe, American grown products and maintain a way of life that is an important part of our history. Farm families are a vital force in our nation's economy, and I will continue to support legislation that provides them with the adequate aid to produce their commodities.

I am deeply troubled by the state of Texas's agriculture industry, which has been on the decline. For this very reason, I supported the farm bill that was signed into law by President Bush on May 13, 2002. The Farm Security Act extended critical aid to farm families, established a new safety net program, and protects farmers when commodity prices drop below a "target price." The final version of the bill was not perfect, but I supported it because I believe it was a good compromise and a step in the right direction.

I will also continue to look for new markets for our agricultural products and an end to trade sanctions on food. Of all grains exported by the United States, rice has been particularly hard-hit by trade restrictions. That's bad for farmers who grow rice here in Southeast Texas. In 1999, I led a trade delegation of Southeast Texas Farm Bureau members to Havana, Cuba, to explore opportunities for selling Texas farm products. We need to expand markets for American agricultural goods.

In addition to expanding markets, I support country of origin labeling. Our farmers deserve to be able to distinguish their crops from those raised overseas, and American consumers deserve to know where their food is coming from. We do this with labeling on most other store bought goods, why would we not do the same with food? It's good for American farmers and good for American consumers.