President Miguel Díaz-Canel received secretaries of agriculture from several U.S. states and representatives of that sector on a visit to Cuba, of which he stressed that he has always worked to find ways to break down walls, it was reported today.

It is a pleasure and a satisfaction to have them present in Cuba in such an important composition, said Diaz-Canel, quoted by Granma newspaper.

He recalled that Cuba has a long-standing relationship with this sector, which has always worked to find ways of greater rapprochement and benefit for both countries.

If it were not for the blockade, we would have many mutual work opportunities, to move forward for the benefit of both peoples, he stressed.

Expanding on this, he said that there has been a permanent dialogue between Cuba and U.S. farmers, and delegations from that sector are frequently received on the island.

On this occasion, it is the first time that the National Association of U.S. Departments of Agriculture (Nasda) organizes a mission to visit Cuba, according to the source.

The meeting was attended by Ted A. McKinney, president of Nasda; Megan McDonald, Nasda official; Donald F. Lamb, director of the Indiana Department of Agriculture; Bryan Paul Hurbult, Connecticut Secretary of Agriculture; and his counterparts from Montana and Louisiana, Christine R. Clark and Michael Strain, respectively.

Also participating were Blake D. Ramsey, Nasda Market Promotion Officer; Thomas E. Peterson, Minnesota Secretary of Agriculture; Ronald J. Karney, Nasda Market Promotion Officer; Amanda Beal, Maine Commissioner of Agriculture; and Hugh Weathers, South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.

Also present were Ernesto Baron, representative of the Usapeec and USA Rice Federation associations; and Paul Johnson, co-chair of the Agricultural Coalition for Cuba.

The U.S. agricultural sector is one of the most active in favor of improving bilateral relations and lifting coercive measures.

It was pointed out that U.S. farmers have backed bills to relax blockade regulations, such as those opposed to the prohibition of travel to Cuba and those aimed at favoring the granting of credits and achieving the authorization of Cuban exports to the other nation.

It was also recalled that during his two stays in New York, President Díaz-Canel held meetings with representatives of the sector, to whom he ratified his government’s willingness to expand ties.