Washington, April 27 (RHC)-- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar pushed her bipartisan bill to lift the over-50-year U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba at a recent Senate hearing on Capitol Hill, and discussed steps to ensure that U.S. farmers and ranchers benefit from relations with Cuba.

Senator Klobuchar was joined by Minnesota farmer Ralph Kaehler, who backed the senator's bill and explained how normalizing relations with the island would offer opportunities to U.S. farmers, according to the website The Cuban Handshake as cited by Cubadebate.

“For too long, export and travel restrictions have prevented American farmers and ranchers from seeking opportunities in Cuba,” Klobuchar said. “That is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation to lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and this hearing allowed us to focus on how we can ensure that our farmers and ranchers benefit from normalized relations between our two countries.”

The Minnesota farmer said that he hoped that the U.S. Congress will expand the universe of people involved in U.S.-Cuba trade by allowing a greater variety of goods and services to be traded.

Senator Klobuchar recently traveled to Cuba to meet with agriculture and export officials to identify ways to open up new economic opportunities for businesses and farmers in the United States.

Klobuchar introduced the bipartisan Freedom to Export to Cuba Act to lift the blockade, which would allow more U.S. goods to be exported to Cuba. The bill eliminates legal barriers against doing business with Cuba, boosts job creation and exports.