George W. Bush 2000 On The Issues

Agriculture
Governor Bush supports recent efforts to reverse decades of supply control management and unleash U.S. farmers to plant in response to market demand, not government programs.  But as the farm sector transitions toward market-driven production, Governor Bush believes the government should help farmers adapt to the challenges of the global marketplace as well as work to maintain competitive markets here in the United States.  This means providing farmers and ranchers with a strong safety net and the means to manage economic downturns, such as crop insurance reform, tax-deferred accounts, and elimination of the death tax. It also means opening markets overseas for U.S. farm products, eliminating agricultural export subsidies and tariffs worldwide.

Governor Bush’s Approach

Provide a Strong Safety Net: While the 1996 Farm Bill reversed decades of supply control management, and unleashed U.S. farmers to plant in response to market demand, a critical component is still missing – a way for farmers to manage the cyclical downturns in the farm economy.  Governor Bush believes that moving toward a more market-based farm economy requires a strong safety net.

Support R&D into New Technology: Farmers are on the front lines of the new “knowledge-based” economy.  Advances in technology are leading to new products, increased productivity, and more environmentally friendly farming. In order for the U.S. agricultural economy to remain competitive, Governor Bush believes we must support projects that will generate new exportable goods.

Common Sense Regulations and Private Property Laws: Governor Bush understands the importance of our existing food safety requirements, but also recognizes that burdensome regulations and punitive private property laws have a real cost impact to the farm economy.

New Leadership on Trade: With 96 percent of the world’s population living outside of the United States, Governor Bush recognizes that the future prosperity of the farm sector depends on expanding markets overseas.  The Clinton-Gore Administration is the first in 25 years to fail to obtain Presidential trade negotiating authority, thus hobbling its ability to lead new market-opening initiatives.  Governor Bush will work with Congress to restore this authority and reassert U.S. leadership on trade.

Governor Bush’s Agriculture Proposals

 
To ensure the continued growth of the U.S. farm sector, Governor Bush supports:

• An Integrated Farm Safety Net: Governor Bush supports emergency assistance, consistent with the principles in the 1996 Farm Bill, as needed to ensure that the move toward a market-oriented farm policy continues.  Governor Bush also believes it is important to swiftly implement the recently passed crop insurance reform legislation and continue to encourage the private sector to develop innovative products.  To help farmers weather downturns, he supports tax-deferred Farm and Ranch Risk Management (FARRM) accounts, which would allow farmers to reserve a substantial percentage of their net farm income in a tax deferred account, which could be drawn on during downturns.
• Elimination of the Death Tax: Governor Bush’s tax cut plan includes elimination of the estate tax to help ensure that family-owned farms and businesses can be passed intact from one generation to the next.
• Continued Investment in R&D: Governor Bush believes that we need to accelerate our search for innovative uses for farm products.  Further research into technology that develops fuels like ethanol and other farm products will ensure a strong and vibrant agriculture community.  Governor Bush supports the permanent extension of the research and development tax credit, and continued funding for agriculture research and education activities, which will help speed development of technologically advanced farm products.
• Common Sense Regulations and Private Property Laws: Governor Bush understands that private property is fundamental to our way of life and the backbone of our economy.  As President, he will require the federal government to carefully evaluate the impact of regulatory initiatives on private property rights. He believes that regulations should be based on sound science and common sense, and solutions should involve local input, whenever possible.
• Opening World Markets to U.S. Goods: Governor Bush is committed to free trade and will work to tear down barriers to U.S. agricultural products, especially agricultural export subsidies and tariffs.  He will work to restore Presidential trade negotiating authority, negotiate new market-opening agreements, push for an ambitious agenda for the next round of global trade talks, and support China’s entry into the World Trade Organization.  Additionally, as President, Governor Bush will fight to ensure that U.S. products are allowed entry into oversees markets and require our trading partners to use accepted scientific principles in enacting their regulations.
• Exempt Food From Unilateral Trade Sanctions: Governor Bush believes that unilateral trade sanctions are rarely effective in achieving their foreign policy goals. If used, they should be directed at the offending government, not innocent populations, and food and medicine should be exempt from any new unilateral sanctions.
  
  Texas Record

As the Governor of the second-largest agriculture producing state, Governor Bush has led Texas in implementing innovative policies to support the continued growth of the farm sector.  Specifically, Governor Bush:

• Signed into law the “Agriculture and Rural Development Act of 1999,” which provided the means for the creation of the state’s first comprehensive agriculture policy.
• Appropriated $25 million in emergency spending and $50 million in cost sharing assistance to aid cotton farmers with boll weevil eradication.  This provided over 23,000 producers with needed support during an especially difficult crop season.
• Signed into law “The Young Farmer Loan Guarantee Program,” that expanded the Texas Agriculture Financing Authority to provide $225 million in loan guarantees to assist in rural development and value-added agriculture production.
• In his first term as Governor, led the successful fight for passage of one of the strongest laws on private property rights in the nation.
  
  The Texas Record

As the Governor of the second-largest agriculture producing state, Governor Bush has led Texas in implementing innovative policies to support the continued growth of the farm sector.  Specifically, Governor Bush:

• Signed into law the “Agriculture and Rural Development Act of 1999,” which provided the means for the creation of the state’s first comprehensive agriculture policy.
• Appropriated $25 million in emergency spending and $50 million in cost sharing assistance to aid cotton farmers with boll weevil eradication.  This provided over 23,000 producers with needed support during an especially difficult crop season.
• Signed into law “The Young Farmer Loan Guarantee Program,” that expanded the Texas Agriculture Financing Authority to provide $225 million in loan guarantees to assist in rural development and value-added agriculture production.