61 



that can probably afford to make it through this disaster, those 

 that may be better educated, but those that are able to get another 

 job somewhere else as a good paying job, the people that are the 

 entrepreneurs in agriculture, the real leaders of the industry. And 

 when they come back to make the decision of, should I continue on 

 farming, and we keep — we look at what do we have in store for us. 



Whenever I come out here, I don't ever see anybody saying, how 

 much more money are we going to have for agriculture and farm 

 programs? We realize that is a downhill sling. We understand that 

 our Federal crop insurance program is fairly inept and is not doing 

 what it needs to do. 



We also understand, as I come out here, that we are going to be 

 more and more regulated as environmentalists and so on take a lit- 

 tle more and more control of our farms. 



And then last, the salvation to all this is that we are going to 

 open up market opportunities. Farmers are going to live off the 

 market of the world, and that is going to be our salvation. 



And now I don't know what the feeling of many of your commit- 

 tee members are, but I get the feeling that even in the Agriculture 

 Committee, we don't have strong support for opening up those mar- 

 kets such as NAFTA and some of the other things. 



And when I go out in meetings this year, which I will have a 

 chance to visit with farmers across the country, and these particu- 

 lar types of farmers that ask me, What do we have to look forward 

 to? Why should I stay in farming past this year? I am going to have 

 a very difficult time in answering that if we don't at least open up 

 some markets. 



And I think we need to be cognizant of that. I think it is a ques- 

 tion — and why I ask that question of you folks on what kind of 

 good answer I can give to those folks, is a question that I have to 

 look in the mirror and ask myself from day to day. 



With that, I appreciate the time you have given to me today. I 

 appreciate all the support you have done for agriculture in the past 

 and continue to look forward to working with you in the future. 



Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Diedrich appears at the conclu- 

 sion of the hearing.] 



Mr. Johnson. Thanks, Mr. Diedrich. 



Mr. Rix. 



STATEMENT OF ROGER RIX, VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTH 



DAKOTA WHEAT, INC. 



Mr. Rix. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the sub- 

 committee. 



I am Roger Rix, vice president of South Dakota Wheat, Incor- 

 porated, also a farmer of wheat, barley, soybeans, and so forth in 

 northeastern South Dakota. 



This past year of 1993 was a very difficult year. We started out 

 with positive moisture situations, a good crop start throughout the 

 growing season. We ended up having one dilemma after another 

 and particularly with the wet season toward the end and trying to 

 get our fields harvested. 



75-885 0-94-3 



