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Is It Time for Midwest Exports to Cuba?

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hpm_logo_2015.jpg

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says it’s time for the U.S. to engage with Cuban markets. But as Elle (Ellie) Moxley reports for Harvest Public Media, some Republican leaders remain skeptical.


Harvest Public Media is a consortium of public broadcasters in the Midwest, joining forces to report on agriculture.

(SCRIPT)

Vilsack, who was in metro Kansas City Tuesday, says increasing U.S. exports to Cuba could help Midwest farmers.

     “The reality is we used to do roughly $600 million of business in that country. It’s about a $1.7 billion dollar market. Wheat is certainly one area, poultry is another area, soybeans is another area.”

But while Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas says he’ll schedule a hearing on Cuba, he’s urging caution.

     “This is a very repressive regime. Each time we took a commodity group, we would run into these state-owned enterprises, and you couldn’t get credit arranged, you couldn’t get a lot of things set up like you normally do in a trade situation with a friendly country.”

Vilsack says the currency protections some in Congress want to include in a trade agreement with Cuba aren’t usually the focus of such talks. ####

 

Harvest Public Media is a reporting collaboration focused on issues of food, fuel and field. Based at KCUR in Kansas City, Harvest covers these agriculture-related topics through an expanding network of reporters and partner stations throughout the Midwest. Global demand for food and fuel is rising, and the push and pull for resources has serious ramifications for our country’s economic prosperity. What’s more, we all eat, so we all have a stake in how our food is produced In the Midwest, in particular, today’s emerging agenda for agriculture is headlined by climate change, food safety, biofuel production, animal welfare, water quality, and sustainability. By examining these local, regional and national issues and their implications with in-depth and unbiased reporting, Harvest is filling a critical information void. Most Harvest Public Media stories begin with radio — regular reports are aired on our member stations in the Midwest. But Harvest also explores issues through online analyses, television documentaries and features, podcasts, photography, video, blogs and social networking. We are committed to the highest journalistic standards. Click here to read our ethics policy.