Field Trip

During a historic visit to Cuba this week, President Barack Obama brought along a coalition of agriculture officials, lobbyists and industry groups.

While there, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a slew of industry-funded food research projects between the two countries.

With the promise of trade embargoes lifting, companies like Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland and Bunge are eyeing tasty new markets in a country that imports up to 80 percent of its food.

Victory Gardens

But some food supplies could end up flowing in the other direction.

Out of necessity over last few decades, Cubans have developed ways to grow lots of small-scale, local organic produce.

After the Soviet Union fell in the early 90s, supplies quickly dried up for staple food supplies, agrochemicals and industrial farm equipment.

Cubans planted small urban gardens to stave off hunger, and now domestic food supply has returned to pre-Soviet levels.

Organic Invasion

Some analysts are concerned that an end to the embargo could bring that locally grown food to the U.S. for higher prices.

Vilsack seemed enthusiastic about Cuba's potential to export organic food in an interview with Modern Farmer last year.

"I think [Cubans] have an incredible opportunity in the future to be a major supplier of value-added organic products, simply because they have not utilized modern agricultural processes," Vilsack said.

The idea does not sit well with many Florida farmers, who don't want to compete with subsidized farms and risk diseases or pests from Cuban farms.

"About two-thirds of our members are extremely against the Cuba deal," Janell Hendren of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation told USA Today. The organization represents 144,000 Florida farmers.

Read More:

• Cuba's Organic Revolution: Coming to Your Fridge? (Mother Jones)
• Florida Farmers Worry About Cuba Organic Growers (USA Today)
• US Farm Lobby Seeks Faster Policy Shift On Cuba (Financial Times)