Louisiana Trade Delegation Travels to Cuba Next Week

by Allie Doise, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation 

Agricultural journalist Avery Davidson reported from Cuba in April while accompanying a Congressional agricultural trade delegation.  Davidson will make his second trip to Cuba next week to report on the progress made in forging farm trade relationships between Louisiana and Cuba. 

Approximately 70 Louisiana businesses and government officials will be travelling to Cuba next week to build trade relationships with the island nation.

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain is heading up the delegation of officials, which includes members from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Economic Development, and Engage Cuba Louisiana.  Avery Davidson, agricultural journalist for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, is scheduled to travel with the delegation for full coverage of the impact of the trade mission, his second such trip this year. 

Larry Sides, president of SIDES & Associates will also be joining the group for his 29th trip to Cuba. In addition, four Louisiana media outlets will be making the trip: KATC-TV, Lafayette, KNOE-TV, Monroe, WWL-TV, New Orleans, and the syndicated weekly television show, “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture,” which Davidson co-hosts.

In addition to shooting video for “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture”, Davidson will be writing stories for the VoiceofLouisianaAgriculture.org website and filing radio reports for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Agri-News Radio Network.

Davidson traveled to Cuba back in April with Congressmen Ralph Abraham of Louisiana and Rick Crawford of Arkansas, along with farmers from both states, but said he is looking forward to a trip back with strictly Louisiana people.

“What’s great about this trip is it’s uniquely Louisiana,” Davidson said. “This trip was organized by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.”

Davidson said he sees this trip as laying the groundwork for a much bigger trade mission in October.

“There is another trip being planned for October in which Governor John Bel Edwards is probably going to be on,” he said. “That is the one that’s going to be almost all government meetings, sitting down with some of the leaders in Cuba to really finalize some things.”

Daily reports on the trip can be found next week on VoiceofLouisianaAgriculture.org.