43 



Mr. Goodlatte. I hope also that we can work well with this com- 

 mittee in enacting new legislation and in implementing the regula- 

 tions from that legislation that will take into account the cost/ben- 

 efit analysis of some of the things we impose on farmers. Certainly 

 we do need to protect the environment, but I don't think anybody 

 is more dedicated to doing that than the American farmer. They 

 have the clearest interest in being sure that the land is properly 

 preserved for their future use and that some kind of review mecha- 

 nism that is independent of those who are imposing the regulations 

 can be put in place to again see that sensible regulations are im- 

 posed that do not add unnecessary costs. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



The Chairman. Ms. Long. 



Ms. Long. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Let me extend a welcome to you, Mr. Secretary, and tell you how 

 good I feel about you serving in this capacity, not just as a Member 

 of Congress who represents a rural district, but as someone who 

 lives on a farm and whose family derives their income from farm- 

 ing. I think your commitment to rural development is a very im- 

 portant commitment for this country, particularly at this point in 

 our economic crossroads. 



I would like to ask you a question about the Rural Development 

 Administration. When we established the RDA in the 1990 farm 

 bill we gave the administration quite a bit of latitude in an at- 

 tempt to allow it to consolidate various economic development pro- 

 grams and make it more cost-efficient in delivering those pro- 

 grams, but also to make it easier for the rural communities to 

 access the programs that are available. 



We are attempting, I think, to move in the direction of one-stop 

 shopping for the rural communities since they don't have the same 

 kinds of professional resources, the many individuals they can 

 employ with expertise, and a whole variety of areas including 

 working with Federal programs. 



I wouldn't expect, certainly, that in the less than 2 weeks you 

 have been in this position you would have had any time to work on 

 that consolidation yourself, but do you know what kind of progress 

 has been made in the Department, and then specifically in the 

 Rural Development Administration, in consolidating the various 

 Federal programs? 



Secretary Espy. Thank you for the question, Jill. 



Let me first congratulate you on assuming the helm of the Con- 

 gressional Rural Caucus. That is a very important position. You 

 are highly qualified for it and I congratulate you for taking it. 



I want to work with you in that. I was the vice chairman of the 

 Congressional Rural Caucus, so I know the importance of your 

 task. 



I have been here for 13 days. I have not specifically reviewed the 

 programmatic relationship between Farmers Home and RDA. As a 

 Member of Congress, I know that the establishment of the relation- 

 ship is problematic. You have Farmers Home with the farm loan 

 and housing function and the RDA, a new agency without a lot of 

 money at this point, but with the business and industry and the so- 

 called rural economic development, water, and sewer loan function, 

 which is very important as well. 



