U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made several announcements on his trip to Cuba this week, fostering further collaboration between the U.S. and Cuban agricultural sectors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that commodity checkoff funds can be used to help market U.S. farm products in Cuba.
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and other farm groups have been working closely with USDA in hopes of lifting the prohibition against using agricultural checkoff funds in Cuba.
“American-grown foods hold a clear competitive advantage in the Cuban marketplace, and the use of farmer- and rancher-generated funds to promote and market U.S. farm goods fits the checkoff mission perfectly,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a news release this week.
“This announcement by USDA represents a major boost in growing the Cuban market that sits just 90 miles off our coast,” Duvall said.
Another announcement made this week by USDA will allow 22 industry-funded research and promotion programs and 18 marketing order organizations to conduct authorized research and information exchange activities with Cuba.
U.S. and Cuba share common climate and agricultural-related concerns, and the announcement by Vilsack will benefit both the Cuban people and U.S. farmers and ranchers.
“Recognizing the importance of agriculture in the United States and Cuba, USDA is advancing a new partnership for the 21st Century between our two countries,” Vilsack said in a news release. “U.S. producers are eager to help meet Cuba’s need for healthy, safe, nutritious food.”