Berry arrives in Cuba for agriculture summit

By Jon Gambrell: Arkansas 1st District U.S. Rep. Marion Berry is in Cuba as part of an economic forum on agriculture, marking the second time in seven years the congressman has visited the Communist nation.B erry (D-AR), will spend several days in Havana and travel back to the U.S. later in the week . . .

Berry's trip comes as Cuban leaders try to expand agricultural imports to their island nation. Washington maintains a 45-year-old trade embargo on the island, but U.S. food and agricultural products can be sold directly to Cuba under a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000. Since Havana first took advantage of the law in 2001, it has spent more than $2.2 billion on American farm products, including hefty transportation and financing costs.Guyadeen said she expected Berry, who has a farming business in Arkansas, to discuss how trade works between the U.S. and Cuba, as well as discuss individual policies. . . .

In 2005, estimates show Arkansas only exported $2.7 million worth of products to Cuba, down from $33.8 million the year before, according to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission website. The site's 2004 figures included $21.6 million in state meat exports and about $10 million in grain exports, but did not explain the drop from 2004 to 2005. [Read More]

---

Tags: Arkansas, Cuba, Marion Berry, Rice, US House