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Texas Agriculture Archive

November 1, 2002

Patman explores trade opportunities in Cuba

The president of Texas largest farm organization, along with a dozen or so members of the newly-formed U.S.-Cuba Trade Association, just returned from Havana, Cuba, where he met with Cuban trade ministers and that nation's Chamber of commerce to explore expanded trade opportunities The trade mission was a follow-up to a successful U.S.-Cuba trade show in September.

"Texas farmers believe the four decades old embargo imposed by the U.S. on Cuba is a failed policy that should be ended," said Texas Farm Bureau President Donald Patman, add ing that some opportunities exist despite the embargo.

The U.S. group, who made the trip at the invitation of the Cuban government, explored additional purchases of U.S. agricultural, wood and medical products.

"Texas Farm Bureau has organized and participated in two trade missions to Cuba," said Patman, who was involved in one of those. "In terms of agricultural products, we grow a lot of what Cuba needs in Texas, and we are close enough geographically to be highly competitive."

While there, the group met with Cuban President Fidel Castro twice. The first time, Castro was dressed in military fatigues. During the next meeting that evening, following a ballet and speech, Castro appeared in a suit and tie. Patman indicated that Castro was cordial and answered questions in an historical context.

Patman, a Waxahachie grain, cotton and cattle producer, also observed a lot of poverty in Cuba.

"Their homes were run down, a lack of repair for many years, but their yards were kept clean. Though they had little, they took care of what they had," he said.

The trip precedes the U.S.-Cuba Marketplace, to be held in Cancun, Mexico and in Havana on Feb. 17-20 of next year. Patman said he and other Texas Farm Bureau personnel would participate in that event. Encouragement of U.S. companies to participate in U.S.-Cuba Marketplace was a topic of discussion this trip.

True honored for ag achievements

Former Texas Farm Bureau President S.M. True was inducted into the Texas Heritage Hall of Honor in a special ceremony at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Sept. 27.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs and the Honorable Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Governor of Texas, 1973-1979, introduced True and other honorees, who included: Dan W. Davis, Eligio "Kika" de la Garza, Clarence Scharbauer, Jr., and Ben H. Carpenter.

The Texas Heritage Hall of Honor recognizes men and women who made their marks as farmers, ranchers, drovers, inventors, innovators, educators, authors, legislators and preservationists. Their achievements span 160 years—reaching back to the birth of the Texas Republic and extending out into a limitless future.

Pictured (left to right) are those attending the presentation: S.M. True, Jane Huddleston and Billie Ray Huddleston, past Dist. 4 TFB state director, and TFB President Donald Patman and Mary Patman. Seated is Anna Jean True.

Former TFB director dies

Royce G. Magness, former State Director from District 4, passed away Aug. 29. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2, at the Telephone Baptist Church, in Telephone. Magness, who before his retirement was a peanut and grain farmer for more than 40 years, was the 1995 District 4 Farm Bureau Pioneer winner.

He joined the organization in 1964 and served six years as a member of the TFB Board of Directors. Magness served as Fannin FB president from 1976 until 1983. He was named Fannin County Farmer of the Year in 1988, which coincided with his last year on the TFB Board.

Magness also served on the TFB Budget Committee and the county FB's budget and Fred Woodson Scholarship Committees, and was a longtime voting delegate at TFB annual conventions.

Notable Quotables

“This is a stupid idea. We should be encouraged to drink milk, and I certainly won’t stop drinking milk just because a man has dressed up as a cow outside my school.”

— Student Alan Smith, 16, as quoted in the Saturday issue of The Scotsman newspaper. According to the article, police rescued two People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) activists outside an Aberdeen, Scotland, grammar school when about 100 students surrounded the would-be protesters and drenched them with milk for about 10 minutes while shouting “milk for the masses.” The planned PETA protest was part of a nationwide drive to publicize what it claims are the dangers of drinking milk.