USTR Office in Washington D.C., Credit: Neal - stock.adobe.com
(WASHINGTON D.C.) — The White House announced this morning that President Trump has nominated Dr. Julie Callahan to serve as chief agricultural negotiator at USTR. Callahan is currently the assistant U.S. trade representative for agricultural affairs and commodity policy.
Reaction is coming in from groups across the ag industry. The leadership of the National Corn Growers Association applauded the nomination of Dr. Callahan as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The nomination comes about a week after NCGA sent a letter, signed by 42 agricultural organizations, to President Trump encouraging him to move quickly on nominating someone for the role.
“Corn grower leaders have been very vocal in recent weeks about the need to fill this important position, as the chief ag negotiator plays a critical role in prioritizing agriculture issues in ongoing trade negotiations,” said Illinois corn grower and NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “We are thrilled to see the president listened and chose someone of this caliber to represent the interests of America’s farmers. It was a pleasure to congratulate Dr. Callahan in person today during our meeting at the White House.”
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement saying that “at this especially critical time for agricultural trade, President Trump has tapped a proven leader who is a tireless advocate for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and all of U.S. agriculture. Julie Callahan brings an unparalleled level of knowledge, experience and dedication to this position and USMEF urges her swift confirmation by the U.S. Senate.”
U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Ryan LeGrand said in a statement that “we appreciate President Trump for working expeditiously to nominate the AUSTR Callahan for this critical job. The Council and I, personally, have worked with Julie for many years and I know, once approved, she will have the producers and agribusinesses top of mind as she conducts her work with trading partners around the world.”
Speaking on behalf of America’s 60,000+ pork producers, NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys released the following statement on the nomination of Callahan. “America’s pork producers congratulate and look forward to continuing to engage with U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator nominee Julie Callahan. Exceptionally familiar with agriculture and science-based standards, Julie has also been actively engaged with trade negotiations in the Trump administration and is in a unique position to advocate for U.S. agriculture on the world’s stage.”
Mike Seyfert, the President and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), released the following congratulatory statement.
“On behalf of America’s grain and feed industry, I extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Julie Callahan on her nomination by President Trump as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Dr. Callahan brings a deep understanding of global agricultural trade – rooted in her service since 2016 at USTR overseeing agricultural affairs and commodity policy – and a proven record advancing the interests of U.S. agriculture in complex negotiations. We look forward to working alongside Ambassador-designate Callahan to further strengthen the industry’s competitiveness in international markets, reduce unfair trade barriers, and support profitability across the entire agricultural supply chain. Her leadership will be a significant asset to the sector as we face evolving global challenges and opportunities.”
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) commended President Trump’s nomination of Dr. Julie Callahan to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
“The role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator is critical to ensuring that American dairy farmers have a voice in trade negotiations,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF and a former USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator. “Dr. Callahan is the right choice. Her expertise and leadership in agricultural trade policy is second to none. Dairy farmers and the entire U.S. dairy industry look forward to working with her to open new export markets and hold our trading partners accountable. We ask that the Senate move swiftly to advance her confirmation process.”National Sorghum Producers also welcomed the nomination of Dr. Julie Callahan as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. “Julie Callahan is a proven leader with deep experience navigating the complex, technical challenges that often stand between American farmers and global markets,” said NSP Chair Amy France, a farmer from Scott City, Kan. “Her nomination is welcome news for U.S. agriculture, and we look forward to working with her to expand international demand for sorghum and other U.S. commodities.”
Callahan has been with the agency since 2016, serving as senior director for agricultural affairs before being promoted to deputy AUSTR in 2020. Her nomination now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration. The President now has nominated people to serve in all of the traditionally held USTR deputy roles.
UPDATED July 18th at 6:00am CST
