Posted January 12, 2015
Many U.S.
farm groups, including Cargill, CoBank, and American Farm Bureau Federation
(AFBF) have launched the U.S. Agriculture for Coalition for Cuba (USACC),
according to an Agriculture article available here.
Agri-Pulse also published an article available here
and World Poultry here,
and AFBF published a statement available here.
Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Amy Klobuchar
(D-MN) and members of Congress supported nearly thirty organizations to
liberalize trade and travel to Cuba.
“Cuba
imports about 80 percent of its food,” said Vilsack. “Which means there is
significant economic potential for our producers. It's a $1.7 billion market.
Our rice growers, our wheat growers, our corn growers, our soy growers, poultry
and beef producers, all have opportunities in this new day,” according to Agri-Pulse.
Under
current sanctions, U.S. food and agriculture companies can legally export to
Cuba, but restrictions put shippers at a competitive disadvantage, while
Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Vietnam are able to take over the market.
Farm
Bureau said the coalition would work together with Congress and the President
Obama to normalize trade relations between the two nations enabling American
businesses access to Cuban markets that are available to other countries,
according to AFBF statement.
“Easing
financing restrictions on agricultural trade with Cuba will make U.S. farmers
and ranchers more competitive in the Cuban market of 11 million consumers,” said
AFBF President Bob Stallman.
USACC
Members: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, Corn
Refiners Association, Illinois Cuba Working Group, Illinois Soybean Growers,
Illinois Farm Bureau, International Dairy Foods Association, National
Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National Association of Wheat
Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Chicken Council,
National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives,
National Farmers Union, National Grain and Feed Association, National Milk
Producers Federation, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Sorghum
Producers, National Turkey Federation, North American Export Grain Association,
North American Meat Institute, Soyfoods Association of North America, US Canola
Association, US Dairy Export Council, US Dry Bean Council, US Soybean Export
Council, US Wheat Associates, USA Rice Federation, Smithfield Foods, Chicago
Foods International, Cargill, and CoBank, according to World
Poultry.
For more information on international law and organizations,
please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
