AGRICULTURE: CUBANS TOUR FARMS WITH EYE ON IMPORTS

Two Cuban officials hoping to import some of Missouri's agricultural bounty toured area farms this week, just days before a House vote on whether to allow U.S. farmers to export to Cuba for the first time since 1962.

Fernando Remirez de Estenoz rode a monstrous milo threshing machine with a 30-foot cutting header in Scout County and a rice harvester in New Madrid County during stops in the area Wednesday and Thursday.

Remirez, chief of the Cuban Interest Section in Washington, D.C., and Gustavo Machin Gomez, an official with the Cuban mission, also toured a cotton gin, rice mill, rice farms, dairy farm and several row crop operations. The two men represent the Cuban government's interests in the United States even though the communist country isn't allowed an embassy.

Remirez and Gomez said they were impressed with the grain storage bins on David Herbst's Scott County farm, which they toured on Thursday. Herbst explained the technology of storing thousands of bushels of grain.

The two Cuban visitors have been guests of the Missouri Farm Bureau.

"Cuba imports a number of the same crops grown in Missouri," said Remirez. "It costs a lot more to buy these products from other markets because of the transportation costs from Europe, Australia and Asian countries."

Congress is considering legislation to remove the 38-year-old trade embargo on food and medicine exports to Cuba. Lloyd Smith, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's chief of staff, said Emerson helped negotiate a compromise Thursday to move the legislation toward a passing vote next week so it can be sent to the president for signing.

Missouri Farm Bureau president Charles Kruse said exports to Cuba could help Missouri farmers.

"I think it is a matter of time" before sanctions end, he said. "And these friendships can pay dividends."

Mary Kay Thatcher, deputy director of governmental relations with the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, agrees.

"If the sanctions end, Remirez and Gomez will remember their visit to Missouri," she said.

Rice could be a big export to Cuba. Before the sanctions in 1962, Cuba was the largest importer of U.S. rice.

"We raise about half of the rice we need in Cuba," said Remirez. "We import as much as 500,000 metric tons of rice a year."

Cuba also imports a lot of corn and soybeans used to feed livestock. With Cuba less than 100 miles from the U.S. coast, Remirez estimates that his nation could save as much as 30 percent by purchasing grains from the U.S. Shipping costs and time en route would be considerably less.

Remirez, who has worked in Washington for four years, said the visit this week was his first to Missouri.

The United States uses more farm technology, he said. Cubans have manufactured most of their country's agricultural machinery for the past 10 years, but the United States is more advanced, said Remirez.

In Cuba, few farmers own their land. The government owns the bulk of farm land and controls all the farming.

Cuba's chief exports are sugar and refined nickel ore. The country spends much more on imports than it collects on exports.