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Frederickson returns to Cuba

U.S. agriculture officials were back in Cuba working to strengthen relationships and promote opportunities.

Minnesota Ag Commissioner Dave Frederickson was one of 20 U.S. representatives attending the Cuba-U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana last week.

“If the embargo is either partially lifted or wholly lifted, which the Cuban people want, we’ll be in place to be able to take advantage of relationships that have been established.”

He tells Brownfield lifting the Cuban embargo would be a win-win.

“They love to sell their cigars (and) I don’t smoke, but a lot of people do and they love sitting out having a cigar.  So they have product they want to move into this market (like) fruit products they want to move in.  So trade is a two-way street.”

Conference participants representing the U.S. soybean, corn, wheat, poultry, and potato industries were invited by the U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba.  The Coalition says it believes the improvement of ag trade between the U.S. and Cuba is the foundation for building successful relations between both countries.