WASHINGTON, DC - In a statement placed in the Congressional Record this week, US Rep. Ron Paul praised the American Farm Bureau Federation for identifying the "real victims" of US trade policy. The text of his statement follows:

"I have long held that the real victims of U.S. trade policy, and specifically of our various trade embargoes, are American citizens who hope to sell goods abroad, most especially our agricultural producers. The intended victims of sanctions are corrupt foreign rulers but they always find a way to get goods from our competitors and when they fail to do so they simply pass along any suffering to their internal political opponents.

"But, as I said, somebody is negatively effected. A recent issue of the American Farm Bureau Federation's Farm Bureau News contains a headline story which does a fabulous job of explaining how these embargoes adversely effect our American Farmers and Ranchers. In this front page story the Farm Bureau News masterfully details the true impact of trade embargoes.

"Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a very rural, agriculturally-based district. My constituents are well aware of the importance of opening export markets for America's agricultural producers. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to place in the record this story from the Farm Bureau News in hopes that people in the Administration, as well as in this Congress will begin to reconsider destructive embargoes policies which only harm our nation's farmers and other producers including my constituents."