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Cuban ag trade policies
need to be overhauled
Ag News: Letters And Editorial.
Thursday, June 9, 2005.
North Dakota's Agriculture Commissioner
Roger Johnson recently headed a trade delegation
to Cuba. They came back with orders for
5,000 metric tons of North Dakota dry peas
on a near-term basis and an additional 20,000
metric tons of peas in the next 18 months.
Plus, the Cuban importers agreed to pursue
contracts with North Dakota companies for
sunflower, cattle, malt, soybeans, chickpeas,
lentils, potatoes and other commodities.
This latest trade mission is one of several
that Johnson has headed in an effort to
open up the borders of this Caribbean nation
to North Dakota ag products, and the job
hasn't been an easy one.
For the past 40 years, forces in Washington
have been using the trade issue as a means
of trying to make Cuban leader Fidel Castro
vanish from power. Both Democratic and Republican
administrations have followed a program
outlawing trade with Cuba, thinking that
it would eventually bring about a change
in leadership.
However, since 2001, work has been underway
to relax the restrictions on food trade
with Cuba. In September 2002 Johnson and
other North Dakotans, along with a delegation
from Minnesota that included former Minnesota
Gov. Jesse Ventura and livestock producer
Ralph Kaehler, made the first trade trip
to Cuba. Because of efforts like those,
the U.S. has sold more than 5 million metric
tons of commodities worth more than $1.3
billion to Cuba.
However, recent actions by the Bush Administration
have made trading terms more difficult again.
New regulations now require all sales be
cash in advance before the ship leaves the
U.S., rather than paying for the commodities
once they reach Cuban shores.
This was Johnson's fifth trip to Cuba and
while there he made arrangements for a Cuban
delegation to visit North Dakota ag producers
in an effort to increase trade. The delegation,
which will be visiting in late June, is
scheduled for a three-day visit and will
come in contact with just livestock facilities.
Several other severe limitations have been
put on their visit, including no contract
with the press, politicians or pro-Cuban
nationals.
According to Johnson, these restrictions
are just another way to disrupt the efforts
to expand trade. Recent actions by the administration
have left the Cubans wondering whether the
impediments from Washington would allow
U.S. companies to continue trading with
them. Trade missions, such as the one completed
in April, reassure them that we not only
want to continue trade with them, but expand
on that trade.
With the Bush Administration clamoring
for increased trade via the Central American
Free Trade Agreement it only makes sense
that we should concentrate on resuming free
and open trade with an island nation less
than 100 miles from the Florida coast.
Despite being in place for the past 40
years, present trade policies towards Cuba
have failed to bring about the desired results.
It's time to admit that our trade strategy
hasn't worked and take the initiative to
open our borders to Cuban trade.
Johnson and others in the two-state area
are committed to increasing commerce between
the two countries by encouraging regional
food companies to participate in the 2005
Havana International Trade Fair, which will
be held in November.
The agriculture commissioner, Ralph Kaehler
and other individuals and commodity groups
in both states should be commended in their
up-hill efforts to increase trade with Cuba.
Copyright © 2005 Farm
& Ranch Guide
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