Two key agricultural positions remain vacated under the Biden administration.
In a letter sent to President Biden this week, U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and many of their colleagues urged the administration to quickly nominate two qualified individuals to the positions of Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Chief Agriculture Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Speaking with members of the media on Friday, Congresswoman Hinson said she?s concerned these two positions have been vacant since the beginning of the Biden administration. She says it?s ?leaving American farmers, producers and their families behind.?
?The main concern here for me is that as we look at the international turmoil, making sure we have good trade relationships and good avenues to get to markets for our products is absolutely critical,? Hinson said. ?We?ve already had a number of issues with the supply chain that we have to work on fixing. That?s why we sent that message (Thursday) specifically to call attention to the fact that we need this representation, and we need it now. Iowa agriculture as an industry needs a strong voice on the world stage so we can ensure that opportunity and access in the future. That?s why we want to put pressure on them to move forward with nominating some solid people here and fill those spots as quickly as possible.?
During a press conference at last month?s Commodity Classic, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked if he?s concerned about expanding the number of 2022 trade missions as the USDA navigates without an undersecretary for trade.
?We had a record year in exports last year at $177 billion,? Vilsack said. ?We?re expected to break that record this year. When you ask a question about what?s going to happen, you need to understand there are a whole heck of a lot of people at USDA that are working very hard to make these trade missions successful. It doesn?t require a single person to make them successful.?
The full letter can be viewed here.
