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Conclusion 



No one understands better the profound Importance of the Russian 

 market than U.S. farmers. We have benefited substantially for twenty 

 years from this commercial relationship. Now our major trading 

 partner Is going through some difficult times, but the turmoil In the 

 political, economic and social structure of the FSU can lead to a 

 future filled with great rewards for American agriculture and for the 

 entire world. 



it is true that If we help build and reform Russian and FSU 

 agriculture, they will become more efficient producers. After all. 

 imperial Russia was the largest grain exporter on the Continent until 

 the Russian Revolution. 



But. we cannot, nor should we. shy away from providing real financial 

 assistance to abet Russia's new revolution because we fear that a 

 marlcet may shrlnic for one or another of our commodity exports. Why? 

 Because whether we act or not, Russia will change and will Improve. 

 And those Improvements will give America's farmers opportunities to 

 sell more production either to processors here or there, because 

 Russians will be buying more diversified food products. 



We must remember that we operate in a world marlcet. We are benefiting 

 throughout the world marlcet due to the collapse of Communism. Because 

 of the Soviet Union's collapse and the defeat of state socialism, 

 countries ail over the world — in East Europe. Asia. Latin America, the 

 Middle East, and Africa — are converting their economies. With 

 democratic governments In place, the populations will demand a better 

 food supply. As they seek to build marlcet systems to feed their 

 populations better, we wl 1 1 be bringing them Into the trading system 

 as full partners. So, while we are helping Russia make this very 

 important Improvement, we need to be recognizing that we must open 

 other markets simultaneously. And we must be very certain that we do 

 not allow Russia to fall under the control of a closed farm system 

 like the EC's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). 



The future for U.S. agriculture is in building a world where less 

 money needs to be spent on weapons, where more money can be spent on 

 Improving economic opportunities, where consumer income Is growing and 

 where we can compete In an open trading system. Supporting Russia's 

 future will determine our future success. 



Thank you. 



(Attachments follow:) 



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