Associated Press

Former Maine Gov. Kenneth Curtis will represent Gov. John Baldacci on a five-day trade mission to promote Maine farm products in Cuba.

Representatives of Maine’s potato, apple, dairy cattle and maple syrup industries plan to visit the island nation from December 12 to 16.

The trip’s being organized by Doyle Marchant of the Cedar Spring Agricultural Co. in North Yarmouth. The participating businesses are paying their own way—but the state’s providing a $250 stipend to each industry representative.

Marchant says the Maine delegation was invited to Cuba by Alimport, the government-run importation agency there.