Washington, DC – Today, USA*Engage and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) welcomed the launch of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), a coalition of more than 25 companies and farm trade associations with the goal of normalizing trade relations between the United States and Cuba.
“We welcome the creation of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba and its efforts in support of open trade and investment with Cuba,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “As an organization strongly supportive of an open, rules-based global trading system, we look forward to working with all sectors of the business community supportive of this initiative to normalize our trade relations with Cuba.”
“President Obama’s announcement in December on easing U.S. restrictions on Cuba signaled an important opening for the United States to reconsider its outdated Cuba policy and recognize the need to restore trade relations with Cuba,” said USA*Engage Vice President Richard Sawaya. “Seizing this opening, we welcome the opportunity to work with USACC and other members of the business community in continuing to provide evidence of the many benefits of a normalized trade relationship with Cuba for all sectors of our economy – from manufacturing to agriculture to services.”
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About USA*Engage
USA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a coalition of small and large businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations working to seek alternatives to the proliferation of unilateral U.S. foreign policy sanctions and to promote the benefits of U.S. engagement abroad. Established in 1997 and organized under the National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org), USA*Engage leads a campaign to inform policymakers, opinion leaders, and the public about the counterproductive nature of unilateral sanctions, the importance of exports and overseas investment for American competitiveness and jobs, and the role of American companies in promoting human rights and democracy worldwide.
About NFTC
The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 
