Individually addressed to all members of the Senate Finance Committee
October 5, 2017
Dear Senator:
The undersigned food and agricultural organizations and companies strongly support the confirmation of Gregg Doud as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator with the rank of ambassador was created in 1997 by Congress for the express purpose of ensuring that U.S. agriculture is fully represented in trade negotiations at the highest possible level. U.S. agricultural exports are valued at near $130 billion for 2016 and agriculture remains one of the few sectors in the overall economy that has shown a positive trade balance for decades. The most recent figures place this value nearly $17 billion, making the role of the Chief Agricultural Negotiator as one of the most important in the entire Office of the USTR.
Gregg Doud, with a strong agricultural upbringing in Kansas, possesses well-honed agricultural domestic and international trade policy experience with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Wheat Associates, as the President of the Commodity Markets Council and a key staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He is dedicated to developing and enforcing fair and reasonable trade agreements to support U.S. agricultural exports. His years in representing U.S. agriculture in the international trade arena will serve the entire U.S. agricultural community as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator.
We believe Gregg Doud is an exceptional selection to fill the role of agricultural ambassador and we urge his swift confirmation by the Senate.
Sincerely,
ADM
Agri Beef
AgVentures NW
Amcot
American Cotton Shippers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc.
American Seed Trade Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
Animal Health Institute
Arizona Grain, Inc.
Attebury Grain
Bartlett Grain
Beachner Grain, Inc.
Blue Diamond Growers
Bunge North America
Cargill, Incorporated
Central Missouri AGRIService LLC
CHS, Inc.
CoBank
Columbia Grain, Inc.
CoMark Equity Alliance LLC
Corn Refiners Association
CropLife America
Dairy Business Marketing Cooperative (DBMMC)
D. E. Bondurant Grain Co. Inc.
Delta Council
Elanco Animal Health
Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc.
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
Grain Service Corporation
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Idaho Potato Commission
International Dairy Foods Association
Kansas Grain and Feed Association
Land O’ Lakes – Purina
Louis Dreyfus Company NA LLC
Mead Johnson Nutrition
Merck Animal Health
Michigan Agri-Business Association
Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Inc.
Michigan Bean Shippers
Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
National Association of Egg Farmers
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Chicken Council
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Fisheries Institute
National Grain and Feed Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Renderers Association
National Turkey Federation
Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
North American Export Grain Association
North American Meat Institute
North Dakota Grain Dealers Association
Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
Northwest Grain Growers
Northwest Horticultural Council
Ohio Agribusiness Association
Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association
Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association
Pet Food Institute
Philip Morris International
Pride Ag Resources
Siemer Milling Company
Smithfield Foods
Superior Farms
Sweetener Users Association
Tate & Lyle
Team Marketing Alliance
Texas Grain and Feed Association
The Andersons
Tyson Foods
United Dairymen of Arizona
USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
USA Rice
U.S. Dairy Export Council
U.S. Dry Bean Council
U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association
U.S. Meat Export Federation
U.S. Wheat Associates
Wheeler Brothers Grain Company, LLC
Wisconsin Agri-Business Association
World Perspectives, Inc.
October 5, 2017
Dear Senator:
The undersigned food and agricultural organizations and companies strongly support the confirmation of Gregg Doud as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator with the rank of ambassador was created in 1997 by Congress for the express purpose of ensuring that U.S. agriculture is fully represented in trade negotiations at the highest possible level. U.S. agricultural exports are valued at near $130 billion for 2016 and agriculture remains one of the few sectors in the overall economy that has shown a positive trade balance for decades. The most recent figures place this value nearly $17 billion, making the role of the Chief Agricultural Negotiator as one of the most important in the entire Office of the USTR.
Gregg Doud, with a strong agricultural upbringing in Kansas, possesses well-honed agricultural domestic and international trade policy experience with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Wheat Associates, as the President of the Commodity Markets Council and a key staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He is dedicated to developing and enforcing fair and reasonable trade agreements to support U.S. agricultural exports. His years in representing U.S. agriculture in the international trade arena will serve the entire U.S. agricultural community as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator.
We believe Gregg Doud is an exceptional selection to fill the role of agricultural ambassador and we urge his swift confirmation by the Senate.
Sincerely,
ADM
Agri Beef
AgVentures NW
Amcot
American Cotton Shippers Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Peanut Product Manufacturers, Inc.
American Seed Trade Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
Animal Health Institute
Arizona Grain, Inc.
Attebury Grain
Bartlett Grain
Beachner Grain, Inc.
Blue Diamond Growers
Bunge North America
Cargill, Incorporated
Central Missouri AGRIService LLC
CHS, Inc.
CoBank
Columbia Grain, Inc.
CoMark Equity Alliance LLC
Corn Refiners Association
CropLife America
Dairy Business Marketing Cooperative (DBMMC)
D. E. Bondurant Grain Co. Inc.
Delta Council
Elanco Animal Health
Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc.
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
Grain Service Corporation
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Idaho Potato Commission
International Dairy Foods Association
Kansas Grain and Feed Association
Land O’ Lakes – Purina
Louis Dreyfus Company NA LLC
Mead Johnson Nutrition
Merck Animal Health
Michigan Agri-Business Association
Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Inc.
Michigan Bean Shippers
Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
National Association of Egg Farmers
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Chicken Council
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Fisheries Institute
National Grain and Feed Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Renderers Association
National Turkey Federation
Nebraska Grain and Feed Association
North American Export Grain Association
North American Meat Institute
North Dakota Grain Dealers Association
Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance
Northwest Grain Growers
Northwest Horticultural Council
Ohio Agribusiness Association
Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association
Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association
Pet Food Institute
Philip Morris International
Pride Ag Resources
Siemer Milling Company
Smithfield Foods
Superior Farms
Sweetener Users Association
Tate & Lyle
Team Marketing Alliance
Texas Grain and Feed Association
The Andersons
Tyson Foods
United Dairymen of Arizona
USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
USA Rice
U.S. Dairy Export Council
U.S. Dry Bean Council
U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association
U.S. Meat Export Federation
U.S. Wheat Associates
Wheeler Brothers Grain Company, LLC
Wisconsin Agri-Business Association
World Perspectives, Inc.