VOA标准英语2015--民意调查:美国农民支持结束对古巴的禁运

Poll: US Farmers Support End to Cuba Embargo¹ 民意调查:美国农民支持结束对古巴的禁运

BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS—

A Pew Research poll conducted in January shows that more than 60 percent of Americans support President Obama’s decision in December to establish full diplomatic relations with Cuba - and move towards ending the economic embargo in place since the Kennedy Administration in the 1960’s.  Among the strongest supporters for ending the embargo are American farmers, who see Cuba as a relatively² new market for exports.  

The planting season is still several months away for Illinois farmer Thomas Marten, but he’s excited about the future… a future that could see more of his products available to the once off-limits island nation of Cuba.

“Here on our farm, we actually grow a lot of specialty³ corn, a lot of non-GMO and hard endosperm corn, which goes almost exclusively into export markets.  So we would see a benefit for our own operation in additional exports to Cuba," said Marten.

Lifting the embargo, Marten says, could help him increase his profits by 15 percent.   

Sending his products to Cuba - which imports about 80 percent of its food - would have been unheard of for his father.

“The entire time my father and my uncles would have been farming we’ve actually had an embargo in place.  It’s been over 54 years that we’ve had that market not open to us in the United States," said Marten.

Marten is among a group of farmers pushing lawmakers to lift the embargo.

But even before President Obama announced the opening to Cuba, products from Illinois fields were already reaching the Cuban people.  Mark Albertson is with the Illinois Soybean Association.

“Agriculture’s been exempt⁴ from the trade embargo thanks to the Trade Sanctions and Reform Act under President Clinton.  But we still have to jump through a lot of hoops⁵," said Albertson.

One of the hoops is that the U.S. can nott extend credit to Cuba.  The Cubans have to pay in cash, up front.

“And that makes us very un-competitive, and we’ve seen a dramatic decline in our ag exports to Cuba in recent years," said Albertson.

“We feel that economic development is freedom," said Paul Johnson.

Johnson is the Vice⁶ Chair of the U.S. Agricultural Coalition⁷ for Cuba.

“What we do is represent U.S. agriculture in our trade relations with Cuba," he said.

Johnson says by ending the embargo and extending credit to Cuba, the United States becomes more competitive - especially because of its proximity⁸ to the island.  

“I think businesses are excited about those opportunities," he said.

So excited in fact that spaces on a trip to Cuba Johnson is leading filled up quickly.  

Farmer Thomas Marten is one of about 75 agriculture and business representatives traveling with Johnson to the island nation in March.  It will be Marten’s second trip to Cuba, and while he is optimistic about future trade, he is also realistic about the challenges.

“There’s definitely a lot of issues we have to work through with human rights.  As both a farmer and a Catholic, I definitely saw that there are a lot of churches closed there, and that’s something that definitely concerns me in Cuba - their human rights record.  That said, 54 years of our embargo has done very, very little in improving the human rights conditions in Cuba," he said.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama called on Congress to begin the work of ending the embargo, and Marten hopes when it comes time to drive his corn and soy to grain elevators next year, more of it will eventually find its way to Cuba.

1 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

4 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

5 hoops   

n.箍( hoop的名词复数 )；（篮球）篮圈；（旧时儿童玩的）大环子；（两端埋在地里的）小铁弓

参考例句：

• a barrel bound with iron hoops 用铁箍箍紧的桶
• Hoops in Paris were wider this season and skirts were shorter. 在巴黎，这个季节的裙圈比较宽大，裙裾却短一些。 来自飘（部分）

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。