Alabama state officials and legislators were treated to another omelet breakfast with the famous Omelet King, Howard Helmer, at the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association’s eighth Annual Legislative Omelet Breakfast at the State Capitol, April 22.
     Helmer, senior national representative for the American Egg Board, demonstrated the art of omelet making to representatives from districts across the state. He is featured in the Guiness Book of World Records for cooking the most omletes in the shortest amount of time. He has been enthusiastically received by professional culinary groups, international chef societies, and both restaurant and retail grocer  associations  throughout  the  United

     Alabama Agriculture and Industries Commissioner Ron Sparks discussed the successful negotiations that were held with Cuban officials to allow Alabama farmers to resume the sale of chicken to Cuba. Sales were halted in March due to Cuban concerns of avian influenza in the United States. The move potentially could mean millions of dollars for Alabama farmers and the Port of Mobile as well as hundreds of jobs for Alabama.
     "All the work we put in over the past year and a half has paid off for the farmers of Alabama, "Sparks stated. "However, the work has just begun and the progress is just starting."
  Negotiations were arranged by Pedro Alvarez, the chairman and CEO of Alimport, the import authority for Cuba. "We look forward to negotiations with Alabama companies and greatly appreciate the encouragement and support of Commissioner Sparks to increase trade between Cuba and the state of Alabama," Alvarez stated.
   Pedro Alvarez and Commissioner Sparks made the announcement of re-opened chicken sales on April 14 to individuals participating in negotiations with Cuba. "Pedro Alvarez has done great things for the farmers of Alababama by providing a market for their products," remarked Sparks.
     Jay Brickman of Crowley Liner Services stated "Alabama led the nation in re-opening the poultry trade between the United States

and Cuba. Commissioner Sparks recognized the importance of poultry to the state and he took the initiative to organize and bring to Cuba an impressive team of agricultural experts who could sit down with their counter parts in Havana to review the health standards followed by the poultry industry in Alabama. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries staff on hand assured the Cuban authorities of the safety of Alabama poultry; they also built new bridges to facilitate the export of Alabama's agricultural products to Cuba. Alabama's commissioner is opening a new market for the state, creating more jobs for its people and supplying the Cuban market with superior agricultural products."
     Commissioner Sparks went onto announce that SYSCO Food Services of Central Alabama were able to secure contracts totaling $175,000 for nine containers of food and food products. F.C. Stone Company in Decatur, Ala., was also able to secure a multimillion dollar contact for grain shipments to the island nation.
     "Our work in Cuba has but one goal and that is to open new markets in Cuba, with its 11 million consumers, for our products. Alabama is now exporting millions of dollars each year in agricultural goods to Cuba. This will not only help the farmers to keep farming but it will also bring new jobs and industries to Alabama to help the entire state," Sparks stated.