The Cuban government’s trading arm, Alimport, and a delegation of industrialists led by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, signed the largest trade deal of its kind since the semi-normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba: Cuba will pay $17 million for Nebraska agricultural products like soybeans, wheat and corn over the next 18 months. The 5,000 tons of beans that were sold in the deal represent one tenth of all the beans grown in Nebraska. In spite of the 40 year trade barrier that exists with Cuba, at least 34 states have sought normalization of relations.