SENSE OF CONGRESS—FOOD PRICES.

SEC. 351. SENSE OF CONGRESS—FOOD PRICES. (a) Findings.—Congress finds that— (1) the disastrous drought of 1988 is causing substantial agricultural crop losses and is placing enormous financial burdens on livestock, poultry, and dairy producers; (2) in spite of the effects of the drought, the United States continues to have ample supplies of grain for human and animal consumption through the upcoming crop year; (3) the Department of Agriculture projects that even if the drought continues, food prices are not expected to increase significantly due to the drought; and (4) in view of these circumstances, no person in the United States should have to pay unwarranted, unjustified, or excessive food prices and that higher food prices, irrespective of their cause, affect those least able to pay the most. (b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with other Federal agencies and State and local agencies where appropriate, should monitor, study, and report to Congress about food price increases at wholesale and retail levels during the coming months, to ensure that no unwarranted food price increases are implemented and that any necessary increases are commensurate with commodity price increases resulting from the drought.