Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 2/1/18

Several state agriculture commissioners are growing impatient with the dearth of bilateral deals being pursued by the Trump administration during its first year in office, despite promises to the contrary. Ben Thomas, director of the Montana Agriculture Department, spoke up about the issue during one of the more chatty discussions at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture on Wednesday.

"This administration said it would pursue bilateral agreements, but a year later ... we haven't really seen any substance behind that," Thomas said. "In my interactions with Japan, what I'm told is, 'No thanks, we're not interested, but we'd welcome you back to the TPP'."

Thomas then started a discussion on President Donald Trump's comments last week that he would consider re-entering the Trans-Pacific Partnership if the U.S. "got a substantially better deal." He encouraged the room to start thinking about what those terms may be. TPP was recently revived by the 11 other countries involved in the pact that are planning to sign an amended version in March.

Half of my heart is in Havana, ooh-na-na: The issue of opening up trade with Cuba also came up during the session at the NASDA winter policy conference in Washington, with a strong endorsement from Louisiana (hello to quick shipping routes!). State Commissioner Mike Strain predicted that there would soon be "some resolution" on the question of what happened with the whole "sonic attack" on U.S. citizens. (Seriously, what's up with that?) That could help get Congress moving on the issue of U.S.-Cuba trade. 

"We have Russia moving into Cuba, selling locomotives and cars, so trade there is growing and I think it's time that we are there, that our presence be there -- and under the Monroe Doctrine it's our duty to be there," said Strain. "It's a tremendous opportunity for American agriculture to trade. They're right there. It's $2 billion agricultural trade, but overall it's $7-8 billion in trade." 

Congress, hop to it: Strain added that there are now more than 60 co-sponsors on Rep. Rick Crawford's bill H.R. 525 (115) to open up agricultural trade. "We must all embrace it so we can get motion through the Congress," Strain said. "When we talk to our friends in the administration they will tell you: 'You've got to get it through the Congress. If you can get it through the Congress, we can get to work.'"