Monday, April 4, 2011

More Cotton to Cuba

In March, a shipment of Texas cotton valued at more than $550,000 was exported to Cuba. This contract, negotiated by TriDimension Strategies in Dallas, is great news for our cotton farmers and a hopeful indicator of possibility.

I don’t agree with Cuba’s political philosophy and realize there are very real points of contention between our countries. I do believe that cracking the door to communication can lead to new degrees of understanding. If quality Texas cotton is what opens the door to dialogue, then all the better.

In 2008, I led a delegation of Texas agriculture leaders on the first official state sponsored trade mission from Texas to Cuba in more than 45 years. This shipment of Texas cotton illustrates how we can participate in the Cuban market, creating opportunities for Texas farmers and exporting the principles of our republic, and help secure more Texas jobs.

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