December 22, 2005

Virginia agriculture officials lead delegation to Cuba for trade talks

RICHMOND—Robert S. Bloxom, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry, and J. Carlton Courter III, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, led a trade delegation to Havana, Cuba, earlier this month.

While there, Virginia farmers and agribusinesses signed contracts to provide $16 million worth of soybeans, soybean meal and apples, with contracts pending for poultry and lumber. The contracts are part of a $30 million Memorandum of Understanding between Cuba and Virginia signed by Gov. Mark Warner.

Joining Bloxom and Courter on the Dec. 12-14 trade mission were Doug Phillips, immediate past president of the Virginia Agribusiness Council; Henry and Cynthia Chiles of Crown Orchards; John Cassidy, international vice president for Perdue Farms; Tom Sheets of Blue Ridge Lumber; Casey Morgan of Star City Lumber; Tom Sleight and Jim Green of VDACS’ Division of Marketing; and Dani Secondi, VDACS’ Latin American consultant.

Virginia farmers have been exporting agricultural products to Cuba since they signed their first contracts at an agricultural exposition in September 2002. Cuba represents the top market for Virginia and Mid-Atlantic region soybeans, soybean products and apples and a top destination for Virginia poultry and pork.

Bloxom initialed the MOU between Virginia and Alimport, Cuba’s central food-purchasing authority, at a Dec. 13 press conference. He said it “significantly raises the volume and variety of sales of agricultural and forestry products from Virginia to Cuba. We enjoy an expanding and fruitful business relationship with Alimport, and Virginia is committed to providing Cuba with high-quality, competitively priced products.”

He added that while the agreement expands business between Virginia and Cuba, “it also expands communication and understanding between our countries.”

Contact Elaine Lidholm, VDACS communications director, at 804-786-7686.