U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today addressed luncheon gathering at the Kansas Commodity Classic in Great Bend Tuesday. The following is the text of his prepared remarks:

"Let me assure you that as we begin this new trail ride serving as the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee, I understand fully, as the only person to ever serve as both Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and Ranking Member on Senate Agriculture Committee, the challenges, and I will need your advice and counsel more than ever.

"Indeed, the task ahead is not easy.

"But as we begin this ride together, let me be clear: I am not ashamed of production agriculture and you the producers that feed this state, nation, and a troubled and hungry world.

"‘Production agriculture’ is not, should not, and will not be a dirty word on my watch. I will be your champion.

"On the grains and fiber side, we are blessed with current prices that are at spectacular levels. Wheat is over $9/bushel, corn is near $7/bushel, and beans are over $13/bushel. For those of you that now grow cotton, prices on that front are at levels not seen since the Civil War. That’s the good news.

"The bad news is that these high commodity prices are creating challenges for our livestock producers. I am well aware of the pressure this is causing, and I assure our cowboys it is something we’re watching closely.

"These prices are also coming at a time of previously unthinkable deficit and debt levels in our nation’s spending. That means agriculture and agriculture spending are an easy target for political sound bites.

"Many in Washington argue that due to the high prices we’re currently experiencing, we no longer need farm programs. They say: ‘Let’s get rid of them, let’s do away with them, why should we be paying farmers to farm?’

"Well, it is pretty easy to talk with your mouth full – especially in Washington – when you live in the country where you can enjoy the safest, most affordable food supply in the world.

"Even the president got in on the act this past week with his budget proposal. He basically said, ‘I’m for agriculture and producers – except those 10 percent that represent 80 percent of our nation’s bountiful harvest. We need to eliminate USDA assistance for them.’

"It was a pretty bold proposal. Especially for someone that put out a budget that spends more, borrows more and taxes more while making not one serious proposal to tackle entitlement reform.

"In fact, the president’s budget proposal will raise the national deficit to $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years.

"We know that level of spending is not sustainable. We know it is a bill our children and grandchildren cannot afford.

"We know that those of us in Washington must make the difficult choices to get our fiscal house in order. Yes, that means those of us in agriculture will also be faced with difficult budget decisions.

"I have made clear to my colleagues that agriculture will do its part. But I have also made clear that any reductions to agriculture spending must be fair and proportional to what all other federal agencies and programs are being asked to give.

"I have also made clear that we must maintain a safety-net for our producers and that if we are going to take a hard look at USDA spending everything must be on the table – that includes the 84 percent of current USDA spending that has nothing to do with commodity and conservation programs.

"We all know that prices have been high before and they’ve always come back down. That is why one of my top priorities as ranking member is to preserve a safety-net. I promise you I will do everything I can for you in this fight.

"While the budget will be a huge part of our focus in Washington this year, I will keep my eye on several other priorities that will likely have a more significant, long term impact on agriculture than any debate we will have on farm policy and programs.

"We must continue to expand our overseas trade and continue to open new markets. That means it is time to get off the dime and pass the Korean, Panama, and Columbian Free Trade Agreements.

"The President needs to send the Korean agreement to the Congress for approval and it is time for the United States to quit trying to force feed our labor and environmental policies to Panama and Columbia before we’ll pass those agreements. Just get the job done.

"Another top priority is to reign in the regulatory power grab of our federal agencies. At no time have we seen the unprecedented abuse of power through the regulatory process that we are currently experiencing.

"Recently, the president responded to the hue and cry of the business and agriculture sectors by saying he was ordering all his federal agencies to take a hard look at all proposed regulations and perform cost-benefit analysis to see if they should move forward.

"It is about time somebody called a time out, but I want to be sure the president and his federal agencies carry through on this proposal. That is why I have introduced the Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act.

"This legislation codifies the president’s executive order, forces agencies and the Office of Management and Budget to undertake cost-benefit-analysis and removes the "loop-holes" the president included in his executive order to bypass stakeholder input on regulations. Late last week I had 28 Senators join in cosponsoring my legislation.

"We have got to put a halt to this regulatory madness. There is no greater threat to the modern miracle of United States Agriculture than the overreach or our regulatory agencies – especially the EPA.

"Or, as my good friend and colleague from Iowa, Chuck Grassley said, ‘EPA stands for – Ending Production Agriculture.’

"Name almost any regulatory issue that could bring agriculture to its knees and halt our move forward to continued expanded production and improved yields, and I can just about guarantee you the EPA has a proposal to do it:

• Rural Fugitive Dust

• Pesticide Permit Applications, and

• Regulation of all waters, which in EPA’s view includes every dried up farm pond that no self-respecting duck would ever land on.

• Spray Drift

• Tractor Emission Standards

"At the same time, we’ve got interests groups and some in the administration that say conventional agriculture and biotech crops are bad.

"My friends, it has got to stop. Not just for the survival of our Kansas farms and ranches, not just for the survival of this business we call agriculture, but because of the moral imperative we have as a nation.

"Over the next several decades the world’s population will rise from 6 billion to 9 billion people. During that same time frame we must double our agriculture production in order to feed a troubled and hungry world.

"Let me repeat that: We must double our agriculture production over the same time period.

"We can only do that through common sense policies based on sound science that will allow you our producers to do what you need to get the job done.

"I do not argue with those who support organic or locally grown agriculture. Some of you do that in your own operations and I know that there is an important niche market to be served there.

"But the simple fact of the matter is that we are not going to double production through those farming methods.

"It will only occur through conventional farming techniques that combine the use of important conservation practices with the use of improved seed varieties that increase drought and disease resistance while increasing yields and reducing water consumption.

"As I said earlier, this is a moral imperative. It is also a matter of national security.

"A well fed world, is a much safer and stable place than a hungry world. Full bellies lead to stability, economic growth and peace. Hungry bellies lead to discontent, instability, and extremism.

"One must look no further than the issues of extremism and terrorism we have experienced in much of the Middle East this past decade, or recent events of unrest in Egypt and elsewhere in recent weeks.

"Yes, much of the recent unrest has been fueled by a long simmering political discontent. But, if you look deeper into these issues, you’ll see that many have been fueled by issues of hunger, unstable food supplies, and a lack of economic growth.

"When nations are hungry, their people are hungry. More often than not, if the people are hungry it also means they do not have jobs or economic opportunities. If they are hungry and without economic opportunity it means they are susceptible to unrest and often violence and extremism.

"Hunger and the lack of economic opportunity have fueled the political discontent in the Middle East that have led to the protests and uncertain future we see today. Hunger and a lack of opportunity are what have created the opening in places like Afghanistan to sow the seeds of hatred and extremism that threaten our nation.

"We must feed this world.

"We must give our farmers and ranchers the tools you need to be successful, maintain your operations, and continue to expand your production. Our government, its Congress, and its regulatory agencies need to get out of the way and let you do your jobs.

"Nine billion people and a world hungry for nutrition, peace, and stability are depending on it.

"Thank you. Thank you for all that you and your families do to feed this troubled and hungry world. It is my honor and privilege to be your Senior Senator and Ranking Member."