Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today called on President Biden to promptly appoint qualified individuals to the position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the role of Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“I write to you today to express my concern that your administration is not making agricultural trade a priority. Two positions that are essential to agriculture trade have been left vacant and there is no indication on when they will be filled… Agriculture is essential to the livelihood of 86,000 family farmers in Iowa and Americans rely on export markets to sell our abundance of food. Appointing individuals to these two positions will allow the U.S. to expand market access and strengthen our agriculture community,” Grassley wrote.
“Every day that passes without qualified leadership in these positions means the United States is playing without a full team against our competitors. Agriculture trade issues will continue to matriculate and these two positions will have a portfolio that impacts every farmer and producer in the country. It is critical to nominate a Chief Agricultural Negotiator and an Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs to promote American agricultural products abroad. I look forward to hearing what plans your Administration has to nominate individuals to these positions and to having the opportunity to review their qualifications when their nominations are received in the Senate,” Grassley concluded.
Grassley has long advocated for strong trade partnerships and open markets to continue to grow the economy. As Senate Finance Committee chairman last Congress, he shepherded through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Since the USMCA’s passage, Grassley has continued to monitor the implementation and ensure its being enforced properly. Most recently, Grassley joined his colleagues in urging the U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai urging her to prioritize a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with the Republic of Kenya.
Full text of the letter can be found HERE.
Original source can be found here.
