Release No. 0416.97
                                                                 
Statement

                               of
               Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
                   On Climate Change Report 

     The  analysis' released today was crafted to scare America's farmers
and ranchers into opposing any effort to address global climate change. The
conclusion is based on the false assumption that all reductions in carbon
emissions would come from increased energy prices. This Administration has
proposed no such thing. 

     The analysis conveniently ignores the fact that America today has a
wide variety of options to address global climate change without hindering
our economic competitiveness -- agricultural or otherwise:

     -- New technologies are making it easier to reduce carbon emissions
without making unreasonable sacrifices; 

     -- Agriculture-based alternative fuels offer an increasingly viable
solution to burning coal and other high-carbon fossil fuels. The increased
use of bio-based fuels would actually boost farm incomes and contribute to
America's fuel independence; 

     -- This Administration wants $5 billion in tax cuts and research funds
to help companies increase their use of existing energy-efficient practices
and to develop more lower carbon energy sources;

     -- This Administration also supports emissions trading between
nations, so countries have maximum flexibility in meeting their commitments.
And, we are insisting that developing nations also make reductions. 

     The report also overlooks the likely costs of a do-nothing approach:
unstable agricultural production affecting farm incomes, greater health
problems, increasingly erratic weather, eroding coastlines, and decreased
food production in some of the world's most hungry spots. Clearly, our world
can ill-afford these consequences. 

     President Clinton is committed to building strong farm incomes. He
would never take any action that would seriously impair America's ability to
feed itself and the world. Nor would he take any action that would put U.S.
producers at a disadvantage in global markets. That is why he is advocating
a responsible, rational approach. His plan relies first on voluntary actions
spurred along by government incentives. Then, there is an evaluation period
before binding commitments even become a factor.

     It should be noted that today's report was funded by a group that has
made clear its opposition to any global climate change treaty. I trust that
America's farmers and ranchers will consider all the facts before making
their decision on an important issue facing our world in the 21st century.

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