Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford is renewing his call to open agricultural trade with Cuba. The Republican says his proposal is an alternative to repealing the Cuban trade embargo, allowing the U.S. to tap into Cuba’s $2 billion agricultural market, according to Politico.
Crawford first proposed the bill in January that would cut back restrictions on U.S. financing for agriculture exports, allowing Cubans to purchase U.S. products with credit. Current law allows U.S. producers to legally export agricultural products, but they must be paid in cash and cannot offer credit. The bill is backed by a bipartisan group of 62 lawmakers, along with companion legislation in the Senate sponsored by North Dakota Democrat Heidi Heitkamp and Arkansas Republican John Boozman.
Cuba currently imports largely from China, Spain, Brazil and Canada.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.