A bipartisan group of former secretaries of agriculture have written the House and Senate Agriculture Committee’s leadership urging that the constraints on financing exports to Cuba be eliminated and the Cuban embargo be lifted.

The former secretaries reminded the committees’ leadership that U.S. producers and businesses can compete within anyone in the world if they have a level playing field. But the playing field is not level in Cuba and U.S. competitors such as Brazil, the European Union, Canada and Argentina have been taking advantage of that in Cuba.

The secretaries said, “Sanctions against Cuba have not accomplished their objectives; unilateral sanctions never do. They have simply put American business, and especially our agricultural exporters, at a competitive disadvantage.” Those signing the letter were former secretaries Clayton Yeutter, Dan Glickman, Ann Veneman, Mike Espy and John Block.