Don Lamb Talks Ag Trade in Cuba
Published: Friday, March 1, 2024
Last week, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb joined the National Assn. of State Departments of Agriculture on a trade mission to Havana, Cuba. The goal in visiting Cuba was to identify and address trade barriers for U.S. agricultural products, gain a better understanding of trade rules and regulations as well as the political and economic environment to strengthen the United States' trade relationship with Cuba.
While in-country, delegates met with government officials as well as industry and private sector leaders to learn more about how the U.S. and Cuba can collaborate in the future on agricultural trade. The delegation consisted of 13 people including other state department of agriculture directors, secretaries and commissioners.
Delegates met with Cuban President Miguel Daz-Canel and other government officials from the ministry of agriculture. They also met with "Small and Medium Enterprises" (SME's), which are similar to private sector businesses and different cooperatives with the goal to build relationships and learn about the complex trading landscape.
"Our intent with this trip was to create relationships with Cuban officials so we can enhance our trade markets for Indiana commodities," said Lamb. "We know Cuba is in need of animal feed, which Indiana is a large processor of, so finding a potential new market opportunity and establishing a relationship was a top priority."
According to the USDA's Foreign Ag Service, U.S. Trade with Cuba in 2023 totaled $337 million, with poultry, pork and non-alcoholic beverages and dairy products being the top commodities sold to Cuba. While in Cuba, delegates visited cooperative farms who grew food and completed agricultural research and they also visited a pasta production facility.
Besides lamb, the delegation included: Ted McKinney, CEO, NASDA; Amanda Beal, Commissioner, Maine Department of Agriculture, conservation and Forestry; Bryan Hurlburt, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Agriculture; Christy Clark, Director, Montana Department of Agriculture; Hugh Weathers, commissioner, South Carolina Department of Agriculture; Mike Strain, Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Agri-
culture and Forestry; Thom Petersen, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture; and Ernesto Baron, FTA International, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council representative.
Funding for this trade mission was provided by the USDA's Foreign Ag Service's Emerging Markets Program through NASDA. The Emerging Markets Program helps U.S. organizations promote exports of U.S. agricultural products to countries that have, or are developing, market-oriented economies and that have the potential to be viable commercial markets.
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