Caledonia Argus

Caledonia buffalo make history

Posted: 7/1/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

Since he started raising buffalos in 1993, Steve Fruechte has always taken pride in his animals. But never did he think theyíd be making history.

Five of Fruechteís heifers are being shipped to Cuba as part of the first American livestock sale to the country since the United States imposed an embargo in 1963.

Congress lifted the trade ban for food and medicine products three years ago, and last September, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura traveled to Cuba to promote Minnesota farm products at the U.S. Food and Agribusiness Exhibition held in Havana.

Ventura met with Fidel Castro, and at the Agribusiness Exhibition, introduced the Cuban leader to St. Charles cattle rancher Ralph Kaehler. Kaehler used the opportunity to negotiate future livestock exports to Cuba, and eventually arranged the livestock sale in which Fruechteís buffalo are being bought.

Last month, Dr. Paulino Santos Montero, director of the Cuban veterinary service, and Vladimir Martinez, a Cuban livestock specialist, visited farms in 12 states to procure 12 buffalos for a game preserve on an island off the coast of Cuba. On June 24 they stopped at Fruechteís farm in rural Caledonia and selected five heifers.

The Cubans sought out Minnesota livestock, Fruechte said, because summer weather conditions in the Midwest are similiar to those in Cuba, and Minnesota animals have an easy time adjusting to the Cuban climate.

Fruechte and Robert Krzebietke, who works at Fruechteís farm, loaded the Cuban emissaries into a pickup and drove them through the pasture where the buffalos are kept. Montero and Martinez liked what they saw.

ìThey were surprised by how calm the buffalo were as we drove among them,î Fruechte said. ìOne of the bulls came up to visit and posed for photos.î

After Montero and Martinez had made their selections, the long export process began. When shipped from state to state, the buffalos must undergo a few tests for health and safety. For the shipment to Cuba, the buffalos had to undergo 21 tests.

ìThis was the first time this has happened, so there were a lot of hoops to jump through,î Fruechte said.

The livestock couldnít be shipped immediately after the tests. Why not? More red tape. Fruechte was required to quarantine them on his farm for eight days. Once thatís completed, the buffalos will be quarantined in the Southern United States for another week. Throughout this process of testing, quarantine, and shipping, meticulous records are kept on each animal.

Many farmers stayed away from this livestock sale simply because of the sheer volume of paperwork, Fruechte pointed out, and by the end of the shipping process, ìeach animal is going to have a stack of paperwork three to four inches thick.î

Voluminous paper trails not withstanding, Fruechte viewed the overall experience as positive, in that it will open the door for further agricultural trade with Cuba. On a personal note, he anticipates additional buffalo sales to Cuba in the future if this sale is finalized without any complications.

And, as if the sale itself wasnít enough of a windfall, Martinez and Montero extended an invitation to Fruechte and Krzebietke to visit Cuba and tour their livestock operation.

Top of Page