DATE=6/11/98
TYPE=AGRICULTURE TODAY #2028
NUMBER=7-18557
TITLE=NUKE SANCTIONS / U-S FARMERS
BYLINE=ROB SIVAK
TELEPHONE=202-619-2023
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=BRIAN CISLAK
CONTENT=
[TAPE INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES]
INTRO: RESPONDING TO THE RECENT NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTS BY INDIA
AND PAKISTAN, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS ORDERED
BROAD U-S ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE TWO COUNTRIES,
AS REQUIRED BY U-S LAW. THE TRADE EMBARGOES THREATEN
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO
THE REGION. AS VOA'S ROB SIVAK REPORTS, THAT PROSPECT
HAS REKINDLED DEBATE AMONG U-S FARMERS AND CONGRESSIONAL
LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE WISDOM OF UNILATERAL U-S TRADE
SANCTIONS:
TEXT: AMERICAN FARM GROUPS HAVE LONG ARGUED THAT REFUSING TO
SELL FOOD TO A COUNTRY WHOSE GOVERNMENT IS MISBEHAVING
SERVES NO USEFUL PURPOSE. THEY REMEMBER THE 1980 U-S
GRAIN EMBARGO AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION, MEANT TO PUNISH
MOSCOW FOR ITS INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN. THE WAR IN
AFGHANISTAN CONTINUED. THE EMBARGO COST AMERICAN GRAIN
FARMERS MORE THAN TWO POINT THREE BILLION DOLLARS IN
LOST EXPORTS. BARBARA SPANGLER IS POLICY ANALYST AT THE
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, THE NATION'S BIGGEST
FARM GROUP:
TAPE CUT ONE-- SPANGLER
"TAKING FOOD AWAY FROM, PARTICULARLY, THE DEVELOPING
PART OF THE WORLD, DOES NOT AFFECT THE POLITICAL REGIME
WE ARE ARGUING WITH. IT IS NOT THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY
WE HAVE THE DISAGREEMENT WITH. THEY ARE POLITICAL
ARGUMENTS, AND WE ONLY HURT THOSE WHO NEED THE PRODUCT.
IT MAKES US A NON-RELIABLE SUPPLIER. IT CUTS US OFF FROM
THOSE MARKETS."
TEXT: ACCORDING TO INDIANA'S REPUBLICAN SENATOR RICHARD LUGAR,
A CROP AND LIVESTOCK FARMER WHO CHAIRS THE SENATE
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE, STUDIES SHOW THAT UNILATERAL
TRADE SANCTIONS USUALLY HURT THE U-S MORE THAN THEIR
INTENDED TARGETS:
TAPE: CUT TWO -- LUGAR
"THE RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IN A FAIRLY HIGH PERCENTAGE
OF CASES WHERE IT WAS UNILATERAL AND WHERE THE COUNTRY
WAS LARGE, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT LOST. THERE WAS NO
CHANGE IN FOREIGN POLICY. SOME SUFFERING BY A FEW
CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY INVOLVED. BUT THE MAJOR LOSSES
WERE OUR JOBS AND OUR INDUSTRIES."
TEXT: SENATOR LUGAR TOLD REPORTERS IN WASHINGTON MONDAY HE AND
INDIANA REPRESENTATIVE LEE HAMILTON, A DEMOCRAT, HAVE
INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT WILL PROTECT FARMERS FROM
THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF TRADE SANCTIONS, AND PLACE WHAT
MR. LUGAR CALLED "COMMON SENSE" CURBS ON THE SANCTIONS
PROCESS:
TAPE: CUT THREE -- LUGAR
"TO TARGET THE SANCTIONS AS NARROWLY AS POSSIBLE AGAINST
THE PARTIES RESPONSIBLE, AND PROVIDE FOR EXPANDED EXPORT
PROMOTION IF SANCTIONS TARGET A MAJOR EXPORT MARKET FOR
AMERICAN FARMERS."
TEXT: LOSING THE MARKET IN PAKISTAN -- AMERICA'S THIRD LARGEST
CUSTOMER FOR WHEAT -- COULD COST U-S WHEAT PRODUCERS
ALMOST 100 MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR, AS MUCH AS 500
MILLION DOLLARS IN 1999.
KAREN FEGLEY OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WHEAT
GROWERS SAYS THE TIMING OF THE NEW SANCTIONS IS
ESPECIALLY BAD. U-S GOVERNMENT FARM SUBSIDIES ARE BEING
PHASED OUT, EVEN AS DOMESTIC WHEAT PRICES NEAR HISTORIC
LOWS, AND U-S FARMERS ARE INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON
FREE-MARKET EXPORTS. NOTING CURRENT U-S BANS ON TRADE
WITH CUBA, IRAN AND OTHER SO-CALLED "ROGUE" NATIONS, MS.
FEGLEY SAYS TRADE SANCTIONS AGAINST PAKISTAN AND INDIA
NOW WILL DEPRIVE AMERICAN WHEAT FARMERS OF CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT INCOME AT A TIME WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST:
TAPE: CUT FOUR-- FEGLEY
"WITH WHEAT PRICES THE WAY THEY ARE, AND WITH ALREADY
ELEVEN PERCENT OF THE WORLD WHEAT MARKET OFF LIMITS TO
U-S WHEAT EXPORTS BECAUSE OF UNILATERAL SANCTIONS, WE
WILL BE ADDING OUR THIRD LARGEST WHEAT MARKET -- RIGHT
AT HARVEST. THAT IS A VERY DISTURBING DEVELOPMENT."
TEXT: MOST U-S FARM GROUPS SUPPORT THE LUGAR-HAMILTON
SANCTIONS REFORM LEGISLATION, AND A SIMILAR BILL THAT
EXEMPTS FROM SANCTIONS ALL FARM EXPORTS AND U-S-BACKED
FARM CREDIT LOANS TO INDIA AND PAKISTAN. THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION HAS SIGNALED ITS SUPPORT FOR REFORM.
TESTIFYING TO HOUSE LAWMAKERS, THE AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT'S TOP FARM EXPORT OFFICIAL, LON HATAMIYA,
SAID THE ADMINISTRATION SHARES THE VIEW -- IN MR.
HATAMIYA'S WORDS -- "THAT IT WOULD GENERALLY BE
INAPPROPRIATE FOR AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES TO BE SINGLED
OUT AS THE SUBJECT OF AN EMBARGO." (SIGNED)
NEB/RMS/BC
12-Jun-98 8:34 AM EDT (1234 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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