lima u.s. secretary agriculture tom vilsack say tuesday farm officials want lay groundwork american agricultural exporters seize new opportunities cuba trade embargo country lift normalization trade relations would allow u.s. farmers use low transportation cost edge european union food export cuba vilsack say president barack obama use executive power chip away half-century-old trade embargo impose communist-ruled nation 1960 lift without approval congress unlikely current republican leadership still preliminary step take prepare day vilsack say interview peru happen unite state good position reclaim portion market lose vilsack cite soybeans rice poultry biofuels new market u.s. farmers could tap cuba turn could sell organic products former cold war foe obama administration ask congress 1.5 million on-the-ground study challenge agricultural trade cuba pests diplomatic void leave decades hostile relations people grind vilsack say need develop relationships people cuba know business actually make deal vilsack visit cuba last month say state agricultural commissioners secretaries also travel island trade missions cuba come back small contract commodities vilsack say vilsack say farmers excite reopen relations cuba global sugarcane powerhouse u.s. would aim meet 50 percent cuba food agricultural need trade resume fully less 15 percent u.s. department agriculture say statement reuters interview vilsack also say optimistic obama would persuade congress pass trans-pacific partnership trade deal end term despite recent surge anti-trade rhetoric presidential campaign president commit get do intend work long hard need ultimately get pass vilsack say usda chief say farmers look ahead possible cuba market