The Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Alexis Taylor made a stop on Iowa State?s campus on Friday February 10th to meet with Iowa producer organizations and local exporters to highlight the benefits of international trade.
The Iowa native and Iowa State graduate tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network she has been able to hit the ground running in her new role at the USDA.
Taylor was first nominated for the role of Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs by President Biden last May. Following Senate hearings last fall, the Senate confirmed Taylor by voice vote and she was officially sworn in as Under Secretary in late December.
Taylor was appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown as director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture in December 2016. Prior to Alexis? appointment, she oversaw the U.S. Department of Agriculture?s (USDA) Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS). She worked to open new markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. agricultural products in the marketplace.
Taylor says that she is excited to continue to work with farmers and producers to help build new markets.
Taylor grew up on a farm in Northeast Iowa near Holy Cross and she says that farm background helps her daily in her job.
During her Iowa trip last week, Under Secretary Taylor also visited Lehman Family Organic Farm in Alleman, Iowa, and Lincolnway Energy, LLC, in Nevada, Iowa.
