Bauer sees S.C. trade potential in Cuba,Lt. governor considers visi

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Fri, Nov. 28, 2003

Bauer sees S.C. trade potential in Cuba
Lieutenant governor considers visiting island nation
By JENNIFER TALHELM
Staff Writer

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer just got back from a trade mission to Taiwan, and now he wants to go to Cuba.

While he has no firm plans for his next trip, Bauer sees potential for South Carolina farmers and manufacturers to put their wares on Cuban shelves.

“Cuba is looking to spend money,” Bauer said. “We have vendors who can sell many things to Cuba. To me, that’s economic development.”

Bauer said he has been talking with Charleston’s Jack Maybank, whose barge this July became the first U.S.-flagged commercial vessel with an all-American crew to enter Havana’s harbor since the U.S. broke relations with Cuba in 1961. (snip/...)

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/7366341.htm

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Kaehler's pushing window open to trade with Cuba

By ANDREA JOHNSON, Assistant Editor


Frank Kaehler of Kaehler's Homedale Farms, St. Charles, Minn., has found markets for their cattle in Cuba.




St. CHARLES, Minn. - Kaehler's Homedale Farms has become a portal to the world of Cuba.

Talk to Ralph Kaehler, who has traveled to Cuba three times, and suddenly it's possible to shake hands with Fidel Castro, to walk the streets of Cuba, and to conduct farm business with the island just 80 miles south of Florida.

Kaehler has worked hard and made decisions that have helped direct millions of dollars in upper Midwest agricultural sales to Cuba. His family has not only learned about Cuba, but they know Fidel Castro and many other Cubans, including school children. (snip)

(snip) While the Kaehlers were in Cuba for their most recent visit, Castro stopped by to visit them at 1 in the morning. He wanted to talk to them about how the livestock from the U.S. were working out, and find out how the boys were doing.

"He was talking about what impact our Norgold had on their milk production, and the kids getting milk, and how the cattle had improved production," said Kaehler. "He was running the numbers. It was like talking with one of our producers or grain elevator managers regarding their objectives and goals." (snip)

http://www.minnesotafarmguide.com/articles/2003/11/28/ag_news/regional_news/news01.txt

[IndianaGreen]

1. Edwards opposes lifting the Cuba embargo

and he is campaigning in SC, how is he going to reconcile his stated opposition to normalizing relations with Cuba with SC's Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer desire to travel to Cuba?

[lumpy]

4. I didn't know this,IG

Thanks for the info.

[IndianaGreen]

5. From the Miami Herald

Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt, a critic of free trade in general, has backed the embargo as well, while Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards have spent months meeting with exile leaders to study the issue.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6618815.htm

A better description of where all the candidates stand on Cuba:

http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/Misc/prez-candidates1.htm

John Edwards

Edwards is believed to have spent weeks meeting with exile leaders to discuss their opinions about the embargo . . . (Miami Herald)

According to Justin Nelson (John Edward’s political advisor), Edwards has voted in the past to maintain a ban on U.S. travel to Cuba. Currently Edwards “supports sanctions that target the Castro regime” but he does “support trade for food and medical supplies.”

http://www.lawg.org/pages/new%20pages/Misc/prez-candidates1A.htm

[Judi Lynn]

2. Some Kansans seeking more trade with Cuba

Story last updated at 2:40 a.m. Thursday, November 27, 2003

Some Kansans seeking more trade with Cuba

TOPEKA (AP) - Having visited Cuba recently, Kansas Agriculture Secretary Adrian Polansky said Wednesday he would like to return to the island nation to pursue trade agreements covering grain and other products.

Polansky said the United States should make trade with Cuba easier to foster democracy there and build relationships for when aging dictator Fidel Castro is no longer in power.

And Barry Flinchbaugh, a Kansas State University agricultural economists who went with Polansky to Cuba, said five decades of effort to isolate the Castro regime have failed to dislodge it, meaning the United States should try another approach.

"They're not accomplishing our purpose to any degree," Flinchbaugh said. "Find me an embargo that works. They don't work." (snip)

http://www.morningsun.net/stories/112703/reg_20031127038.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

3. New article on the new synthetic mennengitis drug from Cuba

Cuba develops vaccine

The Associated Press
In what could be an important breakthrough for developing countries, Cuban researchers said Wednesday they had developed a cheaper vaccine to combat a deadly childhood meningitis.

The vaccine protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b, or Hib, a major cause of meningitis and other dangerous infections among infants, the researchers said.

The announcement of the new synthetic version brought a standing ovation for Vicente Verez, head of the University of Havana's Synthetic Antigens Laboratory. Verez presented his findings at a biotechnology conference here.

International researchers said they were excited about the announcement. (snip/...)

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/112703/pag_cuba.shtml