Two leading advocates for normalizing trade with Cuba announced the release of a new white paper, Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Cuba: A White Paper, that examines how 16 farm states could benefit if the U.S. repeals longstanding restrictions on food sales to the island nation.

The paper was produced by Cuba Trade Magazine and the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) and is based on research analysis provided by the University of Florida and Texas A&M. The analysis uses current and historical data from national and state farm bureaus, federal agriculture agencies, academic analysts, and the Cuban government to illustrate the potential net benefits to U.S. states with the greatest potential for agriculture sales to Cuba.

“This white paper provides some of the most convincing evidence to date regarding the detrimental effects that the U.S trade sanctions on Cuba trade are having on America’s pocketbook,” said Cuba Trade Magazine Publisher Richard Roffman. “The negative impact that these trade barriers continue to impose on agriculture—extensive as they are—in fact can be multiplied across all of America’s industrial sectors. For this reason, we believe policymakers soon will see the great value—to the United States and Cuba alike—in rescinding these constraints and reopening the natural flow of trade.”

“The research contained in this report provides a state-by-state look at missed opportunities,” said USACC co-chair Paul Johnson. “This white paper paints a clear picture of the benefits that U.S. farm states could be enjoying if not for the unfair barriers imposed by outdated U.S. trade policy. We believe this paper will help reignite momentum to the growing effort—in both the public and private sectors—to finally make open trade with Cuba a reality.”

Listen to the press conference on white paper here: IPress Conference on Opportunities for U.S. Ag in Cuba