Hundreds of U.S. farm representatives expected in Cuba

Posted on Tue, Apr. 13, 2004

Hundreds of U.S. farm representatives expected in Cuba

ANITA SNOW
Associated Press


HAVANA - Hundreds of U.S. farm representatives hoping to build long-term trade relationships with communist Cuba traveled here for a new round of talks opening Tuesday.

Cuban officials said they hoped to contact to buy as much as $100 million more in American farm products during the three-day event. More than 300 people from 150 U.S. companies were expected.

"This shows that American companies want to continue expanding business with Cuba," said Pedro Alvarez, head of the Cuban food import company Alimport, which organized the talks.

Among American farm interests participating in the talks is the USA Rice Federation, which represents about 85 percent of rice producers in the United States.
(snip/...)

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/state/8421090.htm

commies? They call anyone else that goes their that.

The Miami Cuban "exile" posters on other message boards learned to get around the problem by claiming the American food producers are selfish businessmen who only care about fattening their pocketbooks.

They may not be "commies" but, by golly, they're just eaten up by selfishness and greed!

for decades, and have looked to Cuba as a small, but worthwhile, outlet for exports. The embargo has nothing to do with politics except in Florida, just about the only place where people feel strongly about it.

Republicans as well as Democrats in the rest of the country don't care one way or the other, for the most part.

They've been hard at work in both places since the 1990's, taking trips to Cuba, discussing with government officials, dissidents, tradespeople, etc., etc. and working with Americans interested in dropping the embargo and travel ban.

They actually passed landmark legislation last year concerning Cuba, as in previous years, and last year's was torpedoed in committee before Bush was forced to veto it, which would have put him in an awkward position. He would have had to explain to the rest of the country why he vetoed legislation supporting the majority of American interest in order to cadge votes and support from the Cuban "exile" community in South Florida.

You may find your own Senator or Representative is among them.

http://www.havanajournal.com/cubaworkinggroup.php