With a signing ceremony Thursday, the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) and Cuba’s Grupo Empresarial Agricola (GEA) formalized an agreement between the two nation’s farm and food industries to re-establish the Cuban marketplace for U.S. food and agricultural products. As part of the agreement, both USACC and GEA will meet regularly to ensure that the relationship between both industries is mutually productive and beneficial. All this week, American Soybean Association (ASA) Vice President and Roseville, Ill., farmer Ron Moore is in Havana with USACC to interact with Cuban farmers.

“Our Cuban partners represent a great deal of promise for the American soybean industry,” said Moore. “The agreement that USACC is signing on to this morning is something that will help to ensure both American producers and Cuban buyers have what they need as our relationship continues to grow together.”

ASA supports policy to normalize relations with Cuba, including the full removal of the embargo.

“So much has changed since the era in which the Cuban embargo was put in place,” said Moore. “Since 1961, our countries have evolved, our industries have expanded, and our economies have matured. Cubans have an increasing opportunity to develop their economy, and Americans have an equally promising opportunity to help meet that demand. That’s why we’re here—to meet a burgeoning demand for meat protein, for cooking oil and for the array of other products that American producers can provide.”