News
US Agriculture Coalition for Cuba amps up
A coalition of agriculture and business groups and a bipartisan group of lawmakers is putting normalization with Cuba as its top priority.
At the National Press Club today, the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), following President Obama’s steps in December to normalize ties to Cuba, says it’s committed to ending the embargo and allowing trade to occur. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has been involved since the group formed a year ago. He says where trade is allowed, U.S. agriculture wins, “Missouri farmers and ranchers and American farmers and ranchers feel like we can win against anyone. And we know that the more Missouri goods we sell overseas, the more good jobs we create back at home. It’s really pretty simple. But, right now, when it comes to Cuba, we are NOT on a level playing field.”
Because of changes made since ag trade was allowed in the early 2000s, Nixon says, it’s gone backwards, “Because of current sanctions, American producers can only interact with Cuba through a complicated process that greatly limits our abilities to sell goods, stifles our ability to create more jobs and prevents us from bringing more dollars home to the U.S.A.” Missouri Agriculture Director Richard Fordyce was with Nixon at the event.
Nixon says other countries are stepping up to fill America’s void. For example, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said in 2009, on the 50th anniversary of the Cuban government – families were allowed an extra half-pound of ground beef, “But, that beef wasn’t U.S. beef. It actually, the event was sponsored by the Venezuelan government. So, I say it’s time that America stop ceding credit for the hamburger to Venezuela.” The group is urging Congress to end the embargo with Cuba.
Could you give me more information on the US Agricultural Coalition For Cuba. Do you have organizations that belong to your organization? If so could I join?
Emily Oswald Coffey, Oswald Family Ranch on Rush Creek
phone 303-422-2865