The American Soybean Association (ASA) applauded an announcement by President Bill Clinton Wednesday that he will lift sanctions on the sale of U.S. food and pharmaceuticals to Iran, Sudan and Libya.

Sales of agriculture commodities will continue to be examined on a case-by-case basis, but the sanctions change will allow the pending sale of agriculture commodities to Iran to go through. The pending sale includes 200,000 tons of soybean meal and 250,000 tons of soybean oil.

"This is excellent news for soybean farmers and all of American agriculture," said Mike Yost, ASA president and a producer from Murdock, Minn.

ASA strongly opposes the imposition of restrictions on the trade of any and all agricultural commodities, including soybeans and soybean products, whether it be for supply, national security, or foreign policy reasons. ASA has been a chief proponent of legislation that would exempt sales of agricultural products from U.S. economic sanctions, and the association believes the recent announcement is an important first step in overall reform. ASA estimates that U.S. soybean farmers are losing export sales of between $100 million and $150 million annually due to unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States. ASA has also been actively pressing the Clinton administration to permit the sales of agriculture commodities to Iran.

"Iran is the second-largest soybean oil importer in the world, as well as a large soybean meal importer," Yost said. "U.S. soybean farmers need access to as many markets as possible on a continuing basis, and especially now when prices are low and stocks are building."