Farmers hope to expand business to Cuba

SACRAMENTO -- A lot of Californians don't know that farmers here and across the U.S. are exporting goods to Cuba. Bill Clinton signed the law while he was president.

It allows agricultural and medical products, only, to be exported. California is hoping to tap into a market that could be worth millions to ranchers and farmers here.

Cuba may be a poor country, but California state leaders see it as a place of opportunity. An agricultural delegation is leaving on next week to scope out a potentially lucrative market for the first time.

"Eighteen different states have already been to Cuba on trade missions trying to sell products there," said A.G. Kawamura from the California Food and Agriculture Sector.

It's unclear why the state has been slow to take advantage of the opportunity to trade with Cuba since so much of the nation's agriculture is grown here.

Of the $180 million dollars of California-like products imported there, the Golden State shipped a only measly $700,000 worth of goods in 2006.

Though Cubans may be too poor to afford our products, state leaders hope they can snag a share of the island's booming tourism.