Secretary Perdue made the appointments prior to President Biden’s inauguration
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the names of 67 people who will serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees.
Secretary Perdue and USTR Robert Lighthizer made the announcements on Jan. 14, prior to President Biden’s inauguration.
The committees are “comprised of senior representatives from across the U.S. agricultural community who provide advice” to the two federal agencies on existing and new trade opportunities.
Each committee member will serve until 2025.
A representative from the American Farm Bureau Federation has been reappointed to a committee.
John Newton, the organization’s chief economist, is once again part of the technical advisory committee for trade in animals and animal products.
His peers are certain Newton can provide the kind of insight needed to improve American ag trade.
“Continuing to expand market access for America’s farmers and farm goods is critically important,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement. “I am confident that John Newton will bring fresh perspectives and insight on the economic implications of complex trade matters as a representative to this committee.”
A hemp producer has been chosen as a member of the committee for trade in tobacco, cotton and peanuts.
Michael Klumpp, a farmer from Shepard, Mich., will serve on the four-member committee to discuss new markets for U.S. hemp products.
“Opening up trade to all of these countries is going to be huge,” he said, the Morning Sun reported. “It’s in in the oil market, seeds grain that we’re getting ready to raise, and – which could be our biggest market of all – the fiber side of things. As we get fiber production and fiber processing put together in this country, we need to look to trade all-things hemp.”