Farm Bill provision to open doors to Arkansas crop trade in Cuba
Published by: KAIT 8
JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – A provision in the recently approved Farm Bill could help Arkansas farmers find another market for their products.
According to content partner Talk Business & Politics, the provision will help U.S. agricultural providers use federal market promotion dollars for exports to Cuba.
A trade embargo was introduced in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy against the Communist nation due to the actions done by the Cuban government, the U.S. State Department said on its website.
While the embargo is still in place, there has been a push in the past 25 years to open up the nation to trade especially for agriculture.
Talk Business & Politics reported that chicken and rice – two main items grown in the Natural State – are the top agriculture imports into Cuba.
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee and who was on the conference committee that ironed out differences in the bill, said he supported the provision.
“I applaud my Senate colleagues for working to get this provision into their bill and I worked hard to make sure it made it into the final conference report. The Heitkamp amendment is an important first step towards exporting American agriculture goods into Cuba,” Crawford told Talk Business & Politics. “We look forward to building on this momentum in the 116th Congress.”