that are shown to be contaminated. [Vote 314, 10/25/01; CQ Monitor News, 12/04/01, and Tom Harkin, Floor Statement, 10/25/01] XXXX Voted Against Dairy Program That Helps Small Farmers. On a vote of 51-47, Democrats won an important agriculture vote to support a $2 billion dairy program. The American Farm Bureau said, “This was the vote on the farm bill… it was the most critical vote other than final passage.” XXXX voted to kill the $500 million program to set the floor for milk prices for 12 Northeastern states, where most of the small dairy farmers operate. The program should help small dairy farmers compete with their larger rivals. [Vote 362, 12/11/01; CQ Monitor, 12/11/01] XXXX Opposed Democratic Substitute Amendments to Dairy Provisions of the Farm Bill. In 2001, XXXX twice opposed invoking cloture on the Daschle (for Harkin) substitute amendment to the Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001 (S. 1731). The amendment would make changes to the dairy provisions in the bill; those changes would result in certain States gaining larger percentages of the new taxpayer subsidies in the bill for dairy producers. The cloture motion was rejected, 53-45. [Vote 368, 12/13/01; Vote 372, 12/18/01] XXXX Voted Against Tightening Meat And Poultry Microbiological Performance Standards. In 2000, XXXX voted against an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using funds to label as "inspected and passed" any meat or poultry products that did not meet microbiological performance standards established by the Secretary of Agriculture. The amendment was rejected, 48-49. [Vote 221, 7/20/00] XXXX Voted For Increasing Funding For The Grain Inspection, Packers, And Stockyard Administration. In 2000, XXXX vote for an amendment that would increase funding for the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) by $3.95 million (to $31.219 million). The amendment would cut funding for the Economic Research Service by an equal amount. The motion to table was agreed to, 51-47. [Vote 220, 7/20/00] XXXX Opposed An Amendment To Tighten Meat And Poultry Standards. In 2000, XXXX voted against an amendment that would prohibit the Department of Agriculture from using funds to label as "inspected and passed" any meat or poultry products that did not meet microbiological performance standards established by the Secretary of Agriculture. The motion to table failed, 49-49. [Vote 218, 7/20/00] XXXX Voted Against Drop Grazing Fee Requirements. In 2000, XXXX voted against an amendment that would strike language requiring the Bureau of Land Management to reissue 10-year grazing permits and leases under the same terms and conditions as provided in the expiring permits or leases if the BLM were to fail to process renewal applications for those permits and lease renewals before their expiration. The amendment was rejected 38- 62. [Vote 175, 7/12/00] XXXX Voted in Favor of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact. In 1999, XXXX voted in favor of the Northeast Dairy Compact, which requires milk processors to pay a minimum price for milk they purchase from farmers, depending on the purpose for which the milk will be used. The bill’s opponents reflect states with larger dairy producers and processors than those in the Northeast, which want to eliminate the competition of the Northeastern dairy farmers. The vote was on whether to close debate on the conference report on FY 2000 D.C. Appropriations Bill and thus end a filibuster by Senators opposed to the extension of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact. The motion to invoke cloture was agreed to 87-9. [Vote 373, 11/19/99] XXXX Voted Against Requiring Country-Of-Origin Labeling. In 1998, XXXX voted against requiring country-of-origin labeling for beef and lamb. The motion to table was agreed to 53-41. [Vote 267, 9/14/98] DISASTER & EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE XXXX Voted For $4.8 Billion in Drought, Flood Relief for Farmers. In 2006, XXXX voted to add $4.8 billion in emergency funding for drought, flood and fire relief to farmers and ranchers in fiscal year 2007. “Our farm and ranch families really face a desperate situation,” argued Sen. Kent Conrad, who sponsored the funding proposal to 9