Durbin, Bustos Excited About Cuban Ag Trade

Agriculture trade between the US and Cuba should grow rapidly now relations between the neighbors are thawing. Two Illinois Democrats, US Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Cheri Bustos, are just back from their trip with the President to Cuba. While the US has a potentially huge market for food in Cuba, Senator Durbin says the Cubans also have food to sell us. "One percent of the organic foods that are consumed in the United States are actually grown here. About 10% of the market is for organic food. Turns out Cuba, because it has not been using chemicals for years, is in a position to move immediately toward growing organic food." Durbin says the American delegation was greeted with the Cuban equivalent of a 'ticker tape' parade, sans sky scrapers and ticker tape. Normalized trade can take place once congress passes, and the President signs, legislation to end the half century old embargo.