Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 6/19/17


The White House announced President Trump intends to nominate Gregory Doud to be chief agricultural negotiator, with the rank of ambassador, United States Trade Representative.

The meat industry has been keeping a close watch on trade as the Trump Administration seeks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, as well as initiate bilateral agreements with Asian countries since pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The meat industry has become increasingly depending on exports in the face of stable U.S. consumption.  

Doud is the current president of the Commodity Markets Council, where he has served since 2013.  Prior to that, he was a senior professional staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee for Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS).  While working for the Senate Agriculture Committee, Doud assisted in drafting the 2012 Senate farm bill.
Doud also spent eight years as the chief economist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He has also worked for the U.S. Wheat Associates and the World Perspectives firm. Doud was raised on a farm near Mankato, Kansas.

USDA trade post
Separately, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Jason Hafemeister, currently serving as the acting deputy under secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, would now be acting deputy under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.

He has been involved in agricultural farm and trade policy for over 25 years, including almost 20 at USDA and with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Hafemeister’s responsibilities have included serving as the lead U.S. negotiator on agriculture in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Doha Round negotiations, the Central America Free Trade Agreement, and China’s accession to the WTO.
He was instrumental in finalizing the recent agreement to allow the importing of U.S. beef to China.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.