St. Charles family farmers back trading with Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

Published - Monday, November 29, 2004

St. Charles family farmers back trading with Cuba

By Shannon Fiecke | Winona Daily News

Kicking it back with Fidel Castro might not be the most politically correct thing to do, but Ralph Kaehler believes it's the right step toward building peace with our southern neighbor. Advertisement

Advertise Info. Directory
When his two sons are grown, the St. Charles, Minn., farmer doesn't want them leaving for Cuba toting guns, but rather preparing to shake hands in a business deal.

"We've never went to war with a major trading partner," he said.

Cuba is far from a large trading partner, but when the United States partially lifted its embargo on trade with the nation in 2000, allowing U.S. food and agricultural items to be sold there for cash, it opened a window of exchange Kaehler is trying to pull wider.

While he and his wife, Filomena, disagree with some Cuban policies, they don't think the island is the villain many make it out to be. It's hypocritical for our country to shut its back door, they say, when it gives most favored nation trading status to China, another communist country.

The Kaehlers orchestrated the first sale of Minnesota livestock to Cuba since the U.S. embargo was implemented in 1959. Though media coverage from a 2002 trade trip to Cuba made them famous, the trans-country alliance was nothing new for the family, whose international marketing efforts have earned them an award from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
(snip/...)

http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2004/11/29/news/00lead.txt






Farmer Ralph Kaehler, right, speaks with
Cuban President Fidel Castro during last
year's U.S. Food and Agribusiness exhibition
in Havana. Kaehler is about to embark on his
third visit to Cuba, where he'll meet Castro
again. (MPR Photo/Michael Khoo)

http://www.breedingcattlepage.com/minnsimmental/winter2003news.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Agriculture mission headed to Cuba
Monday,November29,2004,9:27 AM

AUGUSTA (AP) - Former Gov. Kenneth Curtis will represent Gov. John Baldacci on a five-day trade mission to promote Maine farm products in Cuba.

Representatives of Maine's potato, apple, dairy cattle and maple syrup industries plan to visit the island nation from December 12 to 16.

The trip's being organized by Doyle Marchant of the Cedar Spring Agricultural Co. in North Yarmouth. The participating businesses are paying their own way -- but the state's providing a $250 stipend to each industry representative.

Marchant says the Maine delegation was invited to Cuba by Alimport, the government-run importation agency there.
(snip/)

http://www.wmtw.com/Global/story.asp?S=2622607

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday, November 29, 2004

Mainers promote exports to Cuba


By PAUL CARRIER, Portland Press Herald Writer

Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Representatives of Maine's potato, apple, dairy cattle and maple syrup industries will travel to Cuba next month to promote exports and possibly sign contracts that could produce more than $1 million in sales, state officials say.

The five-day trade mission, in which former Gov. Kenneth Curtis will represent Gov. John Baldacci, is believed to be the first coordinated business trip of its kind from Maine to Cuba. Janine Bisaillon-Cary of the Maine International Trade Center says individual Maine companies have visited Cuba in recent years to explore export opportunities.

Organized by Doyle Marchant of the Cedar Spring Agricultural Co. in North Yarmouth, the Dec. 12-16 trip is being financed by the participating businesses, with the state providing a $250 stipend to each industry representative.
(snip)

"It is becoming more and more realistic for the Cubans to do business with Maine," he said, because of the quality of Maine products and the comparatively low cost of importing goods from Maine rather than from more distant suppliers.
(snip/...)

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/041129trade.shtml?survey66696

[Stella_Artois]

1. We've never went to war with a major trading partner," he said.

Apart from Britain, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan and Iraq.

[robcon]

2. It's been clear for decades to farmers and businesspeople...

the Cuban embargo is stupid and counter-productive.

[Tempest]

3. Cuban embargo hurts red states

This may be the issue which causes a split within the GOP.

[420inTN]

5. Not a chance, until after Castro is dead n/t

[Tempest]

6. Yes, a VERY good chance

Agriculture mission headed to Cuba

http://www.wmtw.com/Global/story.asp?S=2622607

Former Gov. Kenneth Curtis will represent Gov. John
Baldacci on a five-day trade mission to promote Maine farm products in
Cuba.

--------------------
Cuba agrees to buy powdered milk

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041118/NEWS/411180303/1003/NEWS02

Vermont has completed a deal to sell $6 million in
powdered milk to Cuba, state Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr said.


Montana sent a delegation to discuss beef sales, and Iowa sent a delegation to discuss grain sales.

It's happening, and there's not a damn thing the anti-Castro group can do about it.

[Mika]

4. Its also clear to a majority of DUers who voted in this DU poll

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=251742&mesg_id=251742