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Ag Commish says Cuba trade relations have soured under Trump

Fresh off a trip to Cuba, Minnesota Ag Commissioner Dave Frederickson says trade relations there are souring with President Trump in office.

“I was there two days after the Trump Administration announced the rollback of some of President Obama’s efforts, and it was a tough time to be there.  I was there with (then) Lt. Governor Smith (now a U.S. Senator) and it was not a good time to be an American talking to Cubans about trade policy because they just got the door slammed on them.”

Frederickson tells Brownfield he’s visited Cuba multiple times and sees great promise for U.S. ag exports once the embargo is lifted.

The Minnesota Democrat has been an outspoken critic of how the Trump Administration is handling trade.

“It was a little ironic to me that while we were in Cuba talking about trade opportunities with Cuba, the Administration was in Singapore talking about issues with North Korea.  The irony was just dripping.”

Frederickson questions Trump’s priorities when an embargo on a country 90-miles away remains in place after more than 50 years.

He says Cubans need U.S. agricultural products, and American farmers need more market access.