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Senate Confirms USTR, USDA Officials

Two Trump administration officials received Senate confirmation earlier this month. Julie Callahan will serve as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and Mindy Brashears will serve as under secretary for food safety at USDA. 

Callahan has been with USTR since 2016. Her most recent position was assistant USTR for agricultural affairs and commodity policy. Before her time at the agency, she worked at the Food and Drug Administration. 

“President Trump has made it a priority to sign new trade deals and open new markets to high-quality American beef. We look forward to working with Ambassador Callahan to make good on those promises and strengthen America’s cattle and beef industry through new trade opportunities," said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus.

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Trending Video

Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim



In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.