MR. PETERSON: Good morning. I'm a family farmer from Clear Lake. My teenage son and daughter drove a semi load of hogs so I could be down here today. Have you ever had the fear of dying in your sleep? This is exactly what's happening to our own government which is being exploited by endorsing a corporate-inspired farm policy called Freedom to Farm. The corporations have now began openly challenging the power of our own government. If successful, the concentration of power and wealth will not only control our own country, but the world. We will have a global economy and government.

With corporate power in control of our own government, we will really be able to cut programs and save money across the board. Why, we can even get rid of the USDA, cut way back on the Justice Department, and get rid of the trade officers. With a handful of corporations running the country, there will be no need for regulatory departments. After all this, maybe the pinnacle of wealth, the compassionate conservatives can take care of the rest of us.

Government, commodity groups, farm organizations, and co-ops are ignoring the problems, causes, and facts. Why? Is this just plain ignorance, greed, or constant brainwashing by corporations on all parties concerned which is passed on down through the ranks?

We as farmers will become parasites of a corporate-controlled agricultural system. We will become tenants of our own farms. We, with ever-lessening income of contract farming, will become modern slaves. Today we have thousands of family farmers staring Armageddon in the face. With every commodity losing money, we are only producing ourselves to death while at the same time the corporations enjoy record earnings with an ever-increasing pace of controlling production agriculture. An increasing number of policymakers, true farm organizations, and family farmers are attempting to bring the government out of its deep sleep. I, as a family farmer, will pursue this for as long as it takes.

I ask all of you within your power to question and challenge every move of our government, the corporations, and all these so-called farmer member organizations. We need to work towards a sustainable, independent, secure, and profitable family farm systems which will ensure food safety and be environmentally sound for generations.

Some very important steps. Get rid of the corporate monsters called Freedom to Farm and let's enforce Antitrust laws for a change.

At the present time we have an ag trade policy that benefits corporations, not family farmers. Let's change it. Let us become partners again. Thank you.