Farm Bureau Applauds Move to Curb Trade Sanctions

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 6, 2000 -- The American Farm Bureau Federation hailed the action yesterday by a House-Senate conference committee to lift the embargo on food and medicine sales to Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea and Sudan.

"This historic action is a welcome signal to American farmers and ranchers that our country will no longer use food as a weapon," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. "It makes sense from both a humanitarian and commercial standpoint."

According to the farm leader, the five nations included in the sanctions reform measure import over $6 billion worth of farm goods yearly, including wheat, rice, corn, soybeans, feed grains, vegetable oils, animal products and fruit and vegetables. "Unfortunately, because of sanctions our competitors have been supplying these markets," he said.

Stallman said he is hopeful that U.S. farmers can capture sales in some of the previously off-limits markets. "We have had significant contacts with Cuban officials in the last year or so and we know they are eager to make substantial purchases of rice and other commodities," he said. "It made no sense to forego sales in our backyard. Instead of punishing the Cuban government, we just ended up punishing the Cuban people and our farmers."

Stallman said the sanctions reform breakthrough, which is contained in the 2001 agriculture spending bill, was the result of "dogged determination" by key members of Congress, including Reps. George Nethercutt (R-Wash.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) and Sens. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).

The House and Senate are expected to vote on the conference committee report next week.

Contacts:

Don Lipton 202/484-3624 donl@fb.org

Dave Lane 202/484-3610 davel@fb.org

This page was last modified Fri Oct 06, 2000 at 11:57 am