Boozman and Crawford Reintroduce Cuba Trade Legislation
U.S. Senator for Arkansas John Boozman and U.S. Representative Rick Crawford of Arkansas, both champions for expanding U.S. agricultural trade opportunities to Cuba, have reintroduced bills in this new Congress to loosen Cuba related trade restrictions on U.S. agriculture. “It’s time for Washington to enact commonsense reforms so Arkansas farmers and agriculture producers across the country can compete fairly for the Cuban marketplace,” Senator Boozman said.
Under current law, Cuba must use cash to buy any American agriculture product. James Williams, president of Engage Cuba-a national coalition dedicated to lifting the Cuban embargo-says the legislation would benefit U.S. farmers. Williams said this reintroduced “legislation is not changing a law to say you can now sell to Cuba; that is already legal. What it does now is just allow American farmers an opportunity to compete.”
Crawford and Boozman’s bills would lift current laws prohibiting the financing of agricultural exports to Cuba through the cash in advance of sales requirement. Removing this requirement would allow for private banks and companies to offer credit for the sale of agricultural exports, thereby making it easier for both parties to facilitate trade opportunities.