32 



truck, car, everything I own has been committed to the Govern- 

 ment. A few months ago I bought a tractor. I have to make a 

 monthly report to the Farmers Home Administration because I 

 didn't get permission to buy the tractor. 



I paid cash for the tractor. I had money I had made from the sale 

 of plants. My business has been in large part restored. 



It is a very cumbersome situation. It is a situation that most 

 growers, I don't think, would have committed all their land. The 

 amount of money that I received was really just basically a fraction 

 of all the assets I had to commit. Granted, all my assets were tat- 

 tered and torn, but it was still everything I owned. I had to put 

 that up for that loan. 



I would like to say that I very much appreciate the opportunity 

 to be here, and I genuinely appreciate the concern that has been 

 shown by the members of this subcommittee. 



Thank you very much. 



Mr. Lewis. Thank you, Mr. Garrison. 



Mr. Nussle. I think Mr. Garrison left. 



Mr. Biro. He had to catch a plane. 



Mrs. Thurman. We excused him. 



Mr. Biro, do you have a plane to catch? 



Mr. Biro. No. I am not leaving until tomorrow. 



Mrs. Thurman. Mr. Nussle. 



Mr. Nussle. This is probably more formal than it needs to be, 

 Madam Chairwoman, but let me say it is a real privilege to have 

 the opportunity to introduce the next two people, Dan Cooper, who 

 is with us today, is the horticulturist for the State of Iowa and has 

 been with the Iowa Agriculture Department for the past decade. 



He grew up in the horticulture industry. He was responsible for 

 spearheading the development agricultural diversification pro- 

 grams for Iowa and was very active in helping specialty crop grow- 

 ers receive assistance under the Disaster Assistance Act of 1988. 

 Dan is undoubtedly a strong advocate for horticultural growers, but 

 also very knowledgeable. 



The other person here today from Iowa is Shirley Peckosh. Shir- 

 ley also has extensive experience and background in the horti- 

 cultural industry; and unfortunately, is all too familiar with the 

 problems that plagued many nursery growers this year. Shirley's 

 family ran a nursery business called Peck's Nursery Business in 

 Cedar Rapids for 27 years. She currently serves as one of the man- 

 agers of that business. 



She is on the board of directors for the Iowa Nursery and Land- 

 scape Association. She has been active at the State and Federal 

 landscape level. I can guarantee you that. She will be testifying on 

 behalf of the Iowa Horticultural Society. 



If I might — that is the prepared stuff — let me just say she is a 

 sincere person. She works very hard. She is not the kind of person 

 who sits back and whines that people cannot make a difference in 

 their government. She goes down voluntarily to Des Moines to 

 lobby the people down at the State level on behalf of people who 

 are trying to do a good job in Iowa. She also comes out here for 

 that same purpose. 



More than anything else, I have to say Shirley Peckosh is a 

 friend of mine. Not in my district. She cannot even vote for me. 



