Farmers ready to open door to trade with Cuba

Farmers ready to open door to trade with Cuba
Corn and soybeans among most needed products on island nation
By Steve Tarter (starter@pjstar.com)
of the Journal Star
Posted Apr 05, 2010 @ 10:03 PM
PEORIA —

Illinois farmers, always looking to expand their markets, hope more
business can be done with a trade partner just 90 miles from American
shores.

While food and other U.S. supplies are being sold to Cuba, the
48-year-old embargo between the United States and the Caribbean nation
has limited trade opportunities, said Roger Johnson, president of the
Washington, D.C.-based National Farmers Union.

"Current U.S. policy hampers (farmers') ability to supply the Cuban
market," he said.

Current restrictions on financial transactions require payments to U.S.
sellers must be made through banks in other countries, said Johnson.

"Our banks are not allowed to do business in Cuba. That policy hampers
(our) ability to supply the Cuban market. If the United States is not
the supplier, the European Union or Brazil will be happy to take our
place," he said.

What attracts central Illinois farmers to Cuba is that corn and
soybeans, the state's biggest agricultural exports, are among the
products most needed in Cuba, said Adam Nielsen, director of national
legislation and policy development for Bloomington-based Illinois Farm
Bureau.

"With our transportation system, goods could be shipped down the
Illinois River to the Gulf of Mexico," he said, noting the proximity of
the Cuban market.

"We believe strongly that the (Cuban) market has a lot more potential -
as much as $1 billion in sales," said Nielsen, expressing the bureau's
support of a house bill that would beef up trade plus allow U.S.
citizens to travel more freely to Cuba.

"It's not about ending the embargo but making it easier for trade and
not just turn that market over to our competition," he said.

Nielsen said easing travel restrictions could help bring the two
countries closer together. "One of the ways to influence people in
another country is to expose them to more Americans," he said.

While in Morton last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he was
anxious for the United States to expand trade with Cuba "as long as it
coincides with our values."

"We look for trade opportunities everywhere. We also want to build
relationships with Afghanistan, South Africa and India. We want to
continue to see that barriers with trading partners are knocked down,"
Vilsack said.

Steve Tarter can be reached at 686-3260 or starter@pjstar.com.

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x905414650/Farmers-ready-to-open-door-to-trade-with-Cuba