Senators Cantwell, Murray Support Cuba Trade Legislation

By Patrick Connor, Director of National Affairs

Following meetings between Washington Farm Bureau leaders and our state's U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray during WFB's May 18-20 "DC Days" trip, both Senators have signed on as cosponsors to S. 1089 - The Promoting American Agriculture and Medical Exports to Cuba Act.  The bill was introduced by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), along with 15 cosponsors.

Farm Bureau supports S. 1089 and thanks Sens. Cantwell and Murray for cosponsoring the bill.

The legislation facilitates the export of U.S. agricultural products, medical devices and medicines to Cuba and lifts all restrictions on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens and legal residents.  

Since 2000, U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba have averaged roughly $400 million per year.  It has been estimate that the market potential for U.S. agriculture product to Cuba could be at least $1 billion per year if all U.S. export restrictions were lifted.   

This legislation will:

• Reverse the Office of Foreign Assets Control definition of payment of cash-in-advance by statutorily defining the payment option as it was intended by Congress in 2000;
• Allow direct transfers between U.S. and Cuban banks for agriculture exports;
• Require USDA to promote U.S. product in Cuba;
• Express to the administration the need for U.S. visas to be issued to Cuban inspectors;
• Remove impediments for medical exports;
• Lift all travel restrictions to Cuba; and
• Establish a provision on international intellectual property agreements.

Current cosponsors include Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Kit Bond (R-Mo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Farm Bureau continues to urge the administration and Congress to:

• Eliminate all travel restrictions to Cuba;
• Reverse the current interpretation of "cash in advance" to its intended commercial term, payment received prior to releasing ownership to the purchaser not prior to shipping;
• Allow direct banking for payments; and
• Issue U.S. travel visas for Cuban inspectors to enter the United States to confer with U.S. suppliers, inspect facilities, discuss sanitary and phytosanitary issues and verify U.S. procedures and standards associated with the sale of U.S. food and agricultural exports to Cuba.

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