The United States Ag Coalition for Cuba is calling for repeal of the trade embargo with Cuba and liberalization of trade. The Iowa Farm Bureau is a member of that coalition. President Craig Hill says the embargo hasn’t been effective and it’s time to open the borders and allow free trade of goods.

He says Cuba can’t produce enough food to feed its people and would benefit from U.S. ag commodities, but the U.S. would also gain from trade with the island nation.

Hill says one of Cuba’s major needs is for protein.

Hill says the Cubans are lacking cropping technology and inputs such as fertilizer that allow them to produce enough food to feed themselves.