Agricultural trade advisors named in US
US secretary of agriculture Sonny Perdue and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer have announced the appointment of 67 members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees.
The Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee is comprised of senior representatives from across the US agricultural community who provide advice to the US Department of Agriculture and the Office of the US Trade Representative on trade policy matters including the operation of existing trade agreements and the negotiation of new agreements. Members of the six agricultural technical advisory Committees (ATACs) provide technical advice and guidance from the perspective of their specific product sectors.
On the policy adivsory committee, it includes Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the US’s International Dairy Foods Association, along with James Mulhern, president and CEO of its National Milk Producers Federation. Dykes was named a member of the APAC for trade for a second consecutive term. He also served on the committee during the administrations of President Bill Clinton and President George W Bush.
Other dairy members of the trade in processed foods committee include Brooke Markley, trade compliance manager of Leprino Foods Company and Becky Rasdall, vice president, trade policy and international affairs, of the International Dairy Food Association. Rasdall was named a member of the ATAC for a second time in her career.
“It is an honour to be appointed again to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade to bring the perspective of the US dairy industry,” Dykes says. “Trade delivers tremendous benefits, but we need to do more in our trade policy efforts to reach the 95% of potential customers living outside the United States. I look forward to providing guidance on how to protect trade relationships and develop new trade relationships and agreements to make US dairy even more competitive and feed more people around the world.”
This group of appointed advisors will serve until 2025. A complete list of committee members are available at www.fas.usda.gov/atacs.