The White House announcement Wednesday that the United States will begin the process of normalizing relations with Cuba brought positive responses from the agriculture industry.

“Throughout history, agriculture has served as a bridge to foster cooperation, understanding and the exchange of ideas among people,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. “I have no doubt that agriculture will continue to play that powerful role as we expand our relationship with the Cuban people in the coming years.”

Vilsack and a host of agricultural organizations believe the new course expands opportunity for U.S. farmers and ranchers to do business in Cuba. “The president’s opening to Cuba promises to improve trade conditions by making it easier for Cuba to buy U.S. agricultural and food products,” said American Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman. “Improving trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba will expand access to a market of 11 million consumers for U.S. agriculture. That’s good for Cuba and good for America, too.”

“Acknowledging that Cuba is one of our closest neighbors and a potentially valuable trading partner, and allowing the relationships between the two nations and its citizens to renew and blossom is good for both nations,” said National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson.

Central to the initiative is allowing U.S. and Cuban banks to have direct relationships, as opposed to the third-party banking requirements that have made trade difficult.

“The changes to banking are very important because they will significantly reduce red tape and costs associated with doing business with Cuba,” said Betsy Ward, president and CEO of the USA Rice Federation. She adds that USA Rice has long maintained that the “embargo was not on Cuba, as they could source rice and other products from around the world, but rather on the rice growers in the U.S., whose own government cut them out of one of the world’s top markets, just 90 miles from our shores.”

American Soybean Association (ASA) president Wade Cowan says normalizing relations with Cuba creates new opportunities for soybean growers. “Whether it’s the burgeoning Cuban demand for pork, poultry and dairy or that nation’s expanded demand for cooking oils, American soybeans have a significant market opening just off our own shores,” said Cowan.