U.S. agriculture delegation visits Cuba, protests embargo

U.S. agriculture delegation visits Cuba, protests embargo

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2015/03/us-agriculture-delegation-visits-cuba.html

BY MARC FRANK AND DANIEL TROTTA http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/02/us-cuba-usa-food-idUSKBN0LY1KQ20150302

HAVANA Mon Mar 2, 2015 - (Reuters) - The most important U.S. agricultural delegation to visit Cuba in more than a decade began three days of meetings on Monday, hoping to find potential business partners, while urging the U.S. Congress to lift the U.S. embargo on trade with the island.

Two former agriculture secretaries, a number of state agriculture officials and representatives of various state farm bureaus are among the 95 people making the trip, which was organized by the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba. That group was formed after the Dec. 17 announcement the United States and Communist-run Cuba would restore diplomatic relations.

"The message we hope will get back to Washington is that we are a unifying voice that would like to see Congress act in 2015 and end the embargo," Cargill executive Devry Boughner Vorwerk, chairwoman of the coalition, said in an interview.

The coalition says U.S. farmers are hungry for a $2 billion market so close to home and frustrated by U.S. restrictions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/02/us-cuba-usa-food-idUSKBN0LY1KQ20150302

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