Charlie Norris is looking at a large crop, low prices and tight margins. Grain ex­­ports are better than expected, but multi-national trade agreements are stalled.

Norris, who grows corn and soybeans near Mason City would welcome a new market — even if it’s small.

He has one in mind: Cuba. Norris, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation District 2 director, visited there in March 2015 with a group of agribusiness and farm leaders. Since his return, he’s followed the series of U.S.-Cuba executive steps to normalize relations and the signing of a memorandum to build a framework to exchange agricultural research and information.

Does he see momentum...