Business and Agriculture Groups Urge Congress and the Administration to Develop a New Approach to U.S.-Cuba Policy

Business and Agriculture Groups Urge Congress and the Administration to Develop a New Approach to U.S.-Cuba Policy

USA*Engage, in conjunction with the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), hosted a policy discussion and reception late Monday for the Commodity Roundtable on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and staff to press for changes in U.S.-Cuba policy. Chief among the concerns raised during the discussion about current policy toward Cuba was the impact of the U.S.-Cuba embargo on the agricultural sector of the U.S. economy.

"There is growing momentum and broad support for a new approach toward U.S.-Cuba policy among members of the U.S. business and agriculture communities, as well as key policymakers," said USA*Engage Director Jake Colvin. "The United States is at a critical juncture and we should pursue a smarter strategy that will eventually open the doors of trade and diplomacy."

"This meeting of commodity and agriculture organizations showed the continued, broad support within the agriculture community for improving agriculture trade with Cuba, which represents a key market for a number of U.S. produced commodities. It was once a number one market for U.S rice exports," said Paul T. Combs, Chairman of USA Rice Producers Group of the USA Rice Federation, said. "We are encouraged by the prospects for making incremental change in the current Congress to address some of the onerous provisions that continue to complicate our efforts to sell agriculture products to Cuba."

During the policy discussion, Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Vic Snyder (D-AR) delivered remarks about the prospects for change in the 110th Congress, signaling hope for progress.

"This is an opportune time to encourage change in trade policies toward Cuba," Representative Jerry Moran said. "Cuba is an important market for U.S. agriculture, as well as for manufacturers and distributors of food products. But the actions of our own government have created a climate of uncertainty and have inhibited the sale of agricultural commodities and food. Our uncertain trade policies are sending the signal to Cuba that it is easier to purchase its products elsewhere. Unilateral sanctions only hurt our economy."

"The time is right to turn the obvious interest here into action," Colvin concluded.

http://www.jerrymoran.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=723&Itemid=37