Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, February 20.- The first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, received secretaries of Agriculture from several North American States and representatives of that sector visiting Cuba, from the which highlighted that he has always worked to find paths that break down walls.
It is a pleasure and a satisfaction to have them present in Cuba in such an important composition, said Díaz-Canel, quoted by the Granma newspaper.
He recalled that Cuba has a long-standing relationship with that sector, which has always worked to find paths of greater rapprochement and benefit for both countries.
If it were not for the blockade, we would have many mutual opportunities to work, to advance for the benefit of both peoples, he highlighted.
Expanding in this sense, he said that there has been a permanent dialogue between Cuba and United States farmers, and delegations from that sector are frequently received on the island.
On this occasion, it is the first time that the National Association of Departments of Agriculture of the United States (Nasda) organizes a mission to visit Cuba, according to the source.
This meeting was attended by Ted A. McKinney, president of Nasda; Megan McDonald, official of that entity; Donald F. Lamb, director of the Indiana Department of Agriculture; Bryan Paul Hurbult, Connecticut Secretary of Agriculture; and their Montana and Louisiana counterparts, Christine R. Clark and Michael Strain, respectively.
Also participating were Blake D. Ramsey, Nasda Market Promotion Officer; Thomas E. Peterson, Minnesota Secretary of Agriculture; Ronald J. Karney, official of the aforementioned association, Amanda Beal, Maine Agriculture Commissioner; and Hugh Weathers, his South Carolina counterpart.
Likewise Ernesto Barón, representative of the Usapeec and USA Rice Federation associations; and Paul Johnson, co-president of the Agricultural Coalition for Cuba.
The US agricultural sector appears as one of the most active in favor of improving bilateral relations and lifting coercive measures.
As specified, American farmers have supported bills to make blockade regulations more flexible, such as those opposed to the ban on travel to Cuba and those aimed at favoring the granting of credits and obtaining authorization for Cuban exports to the other nation.
It was also recalled that during his two stays in New York, President Díaz-Canel held meetings with representatives of the sector, to whom he ratified his Government's willingness to expand ties. (PL) (Photos: Revolución Studies)
