Chief Agricultural Negotiator

Last updated
Chief Agricultural Negotiator of Office of the United States Trade Representative
Doug McKalip, USDA Senior Advisor.jpg
Incumbent
Doug McKalip
since January 9, 2023
Type Ambassador
Nominator President of the United States
Formation1934
SalaryLevel III of the Executive Schedule

The Chief Agricultural Negotiator is an ambassador of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) responsible for conducting and overseeing international negotiations related to trade in agricultural products. [1] The Chief Agricultural Negotiator is compensated at the rate payable for Level III of the Executive Schedule. [2]

Contents

Predecessor positions

The position has its origins in the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934, which stipulated that the Secretary of Agriculture must be consulted when the Department of State conducted negotiations on agricultural trade. At that time the head of Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the United States Department of Agriculture, Leslie A. Wheeler, began to lead agricultural negotiations. [3] His successors as heads of the Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations and the Foreign Agricultural Service continued this work until creation of the Office of the United States Trade Representative in 1962.

Initially, USTR's agricultural negotiations were closely coordinated with the Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service, and in fact during the Kennedy Round of GATT negotiations FAS Administrator Raymond A. Ioanes served as the principal agricultural negotiator. [4] By the late 1970s, however, such matters were handled by an Assistant United States Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy who, after 1978, was a career member of the Senior Executive Service. Over time, this position evolved into a politically appointed "Special Trade Negotiator for Agricultural and Food Policy" who did not hold ambassadorial rank. [2]

During negotiation of the Uruguay Round of GATT talks that led ultimately to creation of the World Trade Organization, Charles J. O'Mara, a Senior Foreign Service officer of the Foreign Agricultural Service, was appointed Counsel for International Affairs to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Special Trade Negotiator for Agriculture. According to Congressional testimony,

In January 1990, U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills and former Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter appointed Mr. O'Mara as their negotiator for agriculture in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. In August 1991, he was named Special Trade Negotiator in the Department's International Affairs and Commodity Programs Office, where he has maintained his responsibilities for the Uruguay Round and spearheaded negotiations on agriculture in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). [5]

Though not employed by USTR, O'Mara thus effectively functioned as USTR's lead agricultural negotiator from 1990 until conclusion of the Uruguay Round. [6]

Officeholders

In 1997, Peter L. Scher was nominated and confirmed to the rank of ambassador while serving as Special Trade Negotiator for Agriculture, the first time the position was elevated to that status. [7] [8] [9] The Chief Agricultural Negotiator ambassadorship was formally created by the Trade and Development Act of 2000 while Scher was in the position, making him the first to bear the title. [1] However, according to Senate records, the first formal nominee to the new ambassadorship was Scher's successor, Gregory M. Frazier, who was nominated to it October 19, 2000. [10] Frazier was not confirmed by the Senate and was elevated to the ambassadorship from his position as Special Negotiator for Agriculture and Food Policy in a recess appointment on December 21, 2000. [11] He was succeeded in turn by Allen F. Johnson and Dr. Richard T. Crowder. [12] [13] In March 2008, President George W. Bush nominated A. Ellen Terpstra to the post, but she was not confirmed. [14] [15]

Islam A. Siddiqui was given a recess appointment in March 2010, and confirmed by the Senate on October 20, 2011. [16] [17] [18] Dr. Siddiqui submitted his resignation December 12, 2013. [19]

On December 17, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Darci Vetter to succeed Dr. Siddiqui. She was confirmed to that position by voice vote on July 9, 2014. [20] [21] A Democrat, Vetter resigned from the position with the change of presidential administrations on January 20, 2017.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Gregg Doud to succeed Darci Vetter on March 1, 2018. [22] [23] He served until the end of the Trump administration.

In 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Doug McKalip to the position, after his 2021 nomination of Elaine Trevino was withdrawn. [24] [25] McKalip was confirmed by the Senate in December 2022, [24] and he was sworn in on January 9, 2023. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of the United States Trade Representative</span> United States trade body

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an agency of the United States federal government responsible for developing and promoting American trade policy. Part of the Executive Office of the President, it is headed by the U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet-level position that serves as the U.S. President's primary advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade matters. USTR has more than two hundred employees, with offices in Geneva, Switzerland, and Brussels, Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Kirk</span> American politician

Ronald Kirk is an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Trade Representative from 2009 to 2013, as the 97th Secretary of State of Texas, and as the 57th Mayor of Dallas from 1995 to 2002. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clayton Yeutter</span> American politician

Clayton Keith Yeutter, ONZM was an American politician who served as United States secretary of agriculture under President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991 before serving as counselor to the president in 1992. He served as United States trade representative from 1985 to 1989 and as chairman for the Republican National Committee from 1991 until 1992.Yeutter was employed as a senior advisor at the international law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C. He additionally founded the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance at his alma mater, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The University subsequently published his biography, Rhymes with Fighter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Holleyman</span> American lawyer

Robert Walker Holleyman II served as the United States Deputy Trade Representative, with the rank of ambassador, in the Office of the United States Trade Representative in September, 2014 to January 2017. Previously he was the President & CEO of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the trade consortium which represents the interests of major software houses globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trade Act of 1974</span> Comprehensive United States trade law

The Trade Act of 1974 was passed to help industry in the United States become more competitive or phase workers into other industries or occupations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam A. Siddiqui</span>

Islam A. Siddiqui is an Indian-American scientist, and government official, and lobbyist who served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Prior to this, he was Vice President for Science and Regulatory Affairs at CropLife America, and a career official in the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Allen F. Johnson is an American businessman and former government official who served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from April 2001 to September 2005. He is currently CEO of Allen F. Johnson and Associates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Espinel</span> American civil servant (born 1968)

Victoria Angelica Espinel is the president and chief executive of the software industry trade group BSA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karan Bhatia</span>

Karan Krishna Bhatia is an American attorney and former senior official in the Bush administration. He currently leads public policy and government relations for Google. He served as the deputy U.S. Trade Representative from 2005 to 2007, credited with leading the negotiation of the United States–Korea Free Trade Agreement. Additional appointments include Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs where he served from 2003 to 2005 and deputy under secretary of commerce for industry and security from 2001 to 2003. He served a total of six years in the Bush Administration before returning to the private sector in 2008 to lead government affairs for General Electric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darci Vetter</span>

Darci Vetter is an American government official and academic who served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Harald Bernard Malmgren is a scholar, ambassador, and international negotiator who has been senior aide to US Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford, and to US Senators Abraham A. Ribicoff and Russell B. Long, United States Senate Committee on Finance. He has acted as an advisor to many foreign leaders and CEOs of financial institutions and corporate businesses and has been a frequent author of articles and papers on global economic, political, and security affairs.

The negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement were held between 12 countries between 2008 and 2015. The negotiations were aimed at obtaining an agreement between the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement parties Brunei, Chile, Singapore and New Zealand, as well as the Australia and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Lighthizer</span> American attorney and government official (born 1947)

Robert Emmet Lighthizer is an American attorney and government official who served as the United States Trade Representative from 2017 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Pagan</span> American attorney & trade representative

María Luisa Pagán is an American attorney who is serving as the U.S. deputy trade representative in the Geneva office. Pagan was formerly the Deputy General Counsel of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), giving legal advice about trade negotiations, agreements, and regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregg Doud</span> American economist & government official

Gregory Doud is an American economist and government official who served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) during the Trump Administration. Doud previously served as the president of the Commodity Markets Council. He also served as a staff member for the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and as chief economist for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C.J. Mahoney</span> American lawyer

Curtis Joseph "C.J." Mahoney is an American attorney and a Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft. Previously a partner at Williams & Connolly, Mahoney served as the Deputy United States Trade Representative from 2018 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Tai</span> American attorney (born 1974)

Katherine Chi Tai is an American attorney serving as the 19th United States Trade Representative since March 18, 2021. The daughter of Waishengren immigrants from Taiwan, she is the first Asian American to serve in the position. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the chief trade counsel for the United States House Committee on Ways and Means.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayme White</span> American political official and investment analyst

Jayme Ray White is an American public official serving as deputy United States trade representative (USTR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug McKalip</span> American policy advisor

Douglas J. McKalip is an American agricultural policy advisor who has served as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative since January 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "History of the United States Trade Representative".
  2. 1 2 "Plum Book". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27.
  3. ↑ Leslie A. Wheeler
  4. ↑ "Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Oral Histories" . Retrieved 2009-03-23. Use the search engine to retrieve the oral history of Raymond A. Ioanes.
  5. ↑ Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies appropriations for fiscal year 1994 : hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, first session on H.R. 2493 PART 1 (Pages 1-941). 1993. ISBN   9780160418020 . Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  6. ↑ "STATEMENT OF CHARLES J. O'MARA ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN OILSEED COALITION BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY ON THE TRADE TITLE OF THE FEDERAL AGRICULTURE IMPROVEMENT AND REFORM ACT OF 1996, APRIL 25, 2001". Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  7. ↑ "Release No. 0116.97, Statement by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman on Selection of Peter L. Scher as Special Trade Ambassador for Agriculture in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, April 15, 1997". Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  8. ↑ "THE NOMINATION OF PETER SCHER TO BE SPECIAL TRADE AMBASSADOR FOR AGRICULTURE (Senate - September 25, 1997)". Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  9. ↑ "EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF COMMITTEES (Senate - September 24, 1997)". Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  10. ↑ "COMMITTEE BUSINESS SCHEDULED WEEK OF OCTOBER 23, 2000". Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  11. ↑ "PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES GREGORY M. FRAZIER AS CHIEF AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATOR FOR THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE". December 21, 2000. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Schwab Praises Chief Agriculture Negotiator Crowder's Service, Announces Appointment of Special Doha Agricultural Envoy". November 25, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Senate Confirms Allen Johnson as USTR's Chief Agriculture Negotiator". July 20, 2001. Archived from the original on 2011-10-14.
  14. ↑ "Schwab Welcomes Nomination of Ellen Terpstra as Chief Agricultural Negotiator" (PDF). March 26, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Senate Adjourns: Bush nominations die". January 9, 2009. Archived from the original on April 28, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  16. ↑ "USTR Kirk Welcomes Chief Agricultural Negotiator Isi Siddiqui". March 28, 2010. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010.
  17. ↑ "President Obama Announces Recess Appointments to Key Administration Positions". whitehouse.gov . March 27, 2010 – via National Archives.
  18. ↑ "Baucus Applauds Senate Confirmation of Trade, Treasury Nominees". October 21, 2011.
  19. ↑ "New chief ag negotiator nominated". Feedstuffs. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  20. ↑ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov . December 17, 2013 – via National Archives.
  21. ↑ "Vetter and Adams nominations confirmed by voice vote". July 9, 2014. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud". Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  23. ↑ "USTR Robert Lighthizer Swears In Deputy USTR Dennis Shea and Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud". 13 March 2018.
  24. 1 2 "PN2250 — Douglas J. McKalip — Executive Office of the President, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". United States Congress. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  25. ↑ "PN1245 — Elaine Trevino — Executive Office of the President, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". United States Congress. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  26. ↑ Overly, Steven [@StevenOverly] (January 9, 2023). "INBOX: Doug McKalip will be sworn in as chief agricultural negotiator tomorrow by U.S. Trade Representative @AmbassadorTai, per her weekly calendar" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-01-14– via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.