my main concern with the tax bill was how it would affect griculture, since we're in a very rough patch, and farmers need predictability and stability. so that's what the tax bill is all about as far as i'm concerned with agriculture. senator thune deserves a lot of credit. senator tim scott also worked very hard on behalf of agriculture. we had a number of people on the committee doing exactly that. >> are you confident you can nail down a conference agreement in the next two weeks? you've got big issues with differences between the house and the senate, and you've got our third rule issues in terms of the size, the effect on the deficit. are you confident you can nail that down before christmas? you're going to have something to take home? senator roberts: phil, i'm going reply with the answer that i usually give you. you know, the farmer puts the -- doesn't put the seed in the ground without the hope he's going to have a crop. i'm optimistic this is going to happen, because it has to happen. and so i know there are differences between the house and senate bill, and as a member of the

i exhorted them to be not only production is that gricultural producers and to be communicators. longer can we sit a hind our farms and gates and do a great job roducing. we have to what we are doing at florida a&m in tallahassee florida last week. most people with the opportunities to communicate what agriculture is all about times about. they had wonderful research and water and soil science in so many other things that are happening that many people don't know about. they also have great innovative ideas about how to get the message across and engage and encourage agriculture. i asked institutions to incorporate agriculture and business engineering and s.t.e.m. classes. you get all those hings and agriculture. usda we are committed to helping the next generation of farmers. we ssigned it mou with fsa and we are committed to leadership development. i tell them it's young people near future is not in the future, it's now also using it and enjoying it. hopefully he can tell that i love this job being secretary of agriculture. it's not just a job it's a mission and a passion for m