[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 26 (Monday, June 29, 1998)]
[Page 1194]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Radio Remarks on the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998

June 23, 1998

    Today I signed into law a new bill to help expand opportunity for 
America's farmers. The agricultural research act will put funding for 
crop insurance on a sure footing for the future and boost investment on 
agricultural research and rural development.
    After Congress phased out Federal farm price supports, it became 
more essential for American farmers to sell grains, meats, fruits, and 
vegetables to markets around the world. And today, products from one of 
every three acres planted in America are sold abroad. Thanks to cutting-
edge research, strong food safety standards, and innovations in 
biotechnology, our farmers enjoy advantages over their competitors 
around the world in many sectors. In fact, American farmers have become 
so productive and so advanced that agriculture should be considered 
another high-tech industry. By strengthening investment in research and 
technology, this bill will help our farmers retain that competitive edge 
so they can export more of what they grow and raise. But to secure the 
success of U.S. farmers in the global marketplace, we must do more.
    That's why we're also fighting hard to tear down unfair trade 
barriers, to stabilize Asian markets for our products, and to make sure 
that sanctions do not unfairly penalize American farmers. I've asked the 
World Trade Organization to take an aggressive approach to reducing 
tariffs and subsidies on agricultural products and to deliver better 
scientific-based rules to govern that trade. We're also fighting to 
enforce our trade agreements and have won critical agricultural 
disputes, including the European Union's restrictions on hormone-grown 
beef and greater access to pork in the Philippines. We will continue to 
use every tool at our disposal to ensure that agreements made are 
agreements kept.
    And I will push Congress to give the IMF the resources it needs to 
help stabilize the economies of Asia, which are such big markets for 
American farm products. Finally, we need to make sure that our sanctions 
policy furthers our foreign policy goals without hurting our farmers. 
That's why I support legislation that ensures that U.S. wheat will not 
be the unintended victim of an important nonproliferation law. Our 
policy has been and will be that food should not be used as a weapon. 
We'll resist any action that would lead to a de facto grain embargo.
    American farmers can continue to compete and win the global 
marketplace. To make sure that they do, I'll continue to fight to make 
sure they're given a fair chance to build a better future for themselves 
and their families.

Note: The President's remarks were recorded on the morning of June 23 in 
the Oval Office at the White House for later broadcast.