02/24/05 Ag angered over Cuban trade rule

Farm and Ranch February 24, 2005 U.S. agricultural groups and farm state lawmakers are angry and frustrated over a Bush Administration ruling that if left unchanged, they say, could end U.S. farm trade with Cuba in the next month. The Treasury Department this week issued long-promised rules forcing Cuba to make cash payments before U.S. ag and medical products can be shipped to the island. American Farm Bureau trade specialist Chris Garza, explains the problem. Garza: "For us to sell the goods obviously we would have to receive payment before they leave U.S. ports, which would basically put Cuban property in the United States which could possibly be seized by our government." Garza argues that every export market is important even Cuba. Garza: "Just in 2004 we've sold about 400-million dollars of agricultural products to Cuba. Cuba is our 25th largest agricultural market and it is obviously continuing to grow as it has over the last four years. So depending on whether this regulation will cut off trade or not, is definitely significant." Max Baucus of Montana, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee is vowing to make good on his earlier threat to block Bush administration nominees to Treasury Department posts if the rules from the department's Office of Foreign Asset Control aren't revoked. Opposition to the rule is bipartisan however. Republican Senators Larry Craig of Idaho and Pat Roberts of Kansas, say the Treasury rule proves the need for a bill they and other Senators have introduced to clarify Cuba payment rules. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.