Durbin: Illinois farmers anxious to open trade with Cuba

Posted on August 10, 2015

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) held a panel discussion Monday at Illinois State University on U.S.-Cuba relations.

Durbin said continuing to normalize relations with Cuba could mean good things for Illinois agriculture.

“What you heard today was a sense of optimism. People are anxious here, in the farm community, to send our quality agriculture to Cuba and to start a new trade relationship,” he said.

Durbin added Illinois farmers are ideally positioned to increase talks with Cuba.

“Estimates say Illinois exports to Cuba peaked at approximately $66 million in 2008, which is 20 percent of that nation’s U.S. corn and soy purchases,” said Durbin. “In a post embargo situation, Illinois corn and soy exports could go back to 2008 levels and beyond.”

Durbin believed increasing trade with Cuba will also be good for the Cuban economy.

“And we’ll new opportunities for new markets for our own agriculture producers,” Durbin said.

There are still members of Congress resistant to changing the relationship with Cuba, which could slow things down a bit according to Durbin. However, he said an important step is being taken this week when Secretary of State John Kerry is in Cuba to open a U.S. embassy in Havana.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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