AFBF Welcomes Callahan Nomination to be Chief Ag Negotiator
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall today commended the nomination of Dr. Julie Callahan to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. “Dr. Callahan is a pro with nearly a decade of experience negotiating trade agreements. She understands how important international partnerships are to agriculture and the critical role of strong export markets to strengthen our farm economy. “As someone who has come through the ranks and worked directly on trade agreements, including reducing both technical barriers and tariffs, Julie will hit the ground running. Her previous experience in the Foreign Ag Service at USDA and also at FDA provide important perspective to inform her work to help resolve challenging issues on the trade front. “We look forward to a swift Senate confirmation process so that Dr. Callahan can be fully empowered to contribute to U.S. trade strategy during these volatile times.”
USMEF Statement on Julie Callahan’s Nomination as USTR’s Chief Ag Negotiator
The White House announced this morning that President Trump has nominated 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. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement: 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.
National Corn Growers Applaud Callahan Pick
The leadership of the National Corn Growers Association today applauded the nomination of Dr. Julie 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 Grains Council Statement Callahan Nominated For Chief Ag Negotiator Role
Today, Julie Callahan, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (AUSTR) for agricultural affairs and commodity policy, has been nominated by President Trump for the role as Chief Agricultural Negotiator. “We appreciate President Trump for working expeditiously to nominate the AUSTR Callahan for this critical job,” said U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Ryan LeGrand. “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.” Callahan has been with the agency since 2016, serving as senior director for agricultural affairs before being promoted to deputy AUSTR in 2020. The President now has nominated people to serve in all of the traditionally held USTR deputy roles.
National Sorghum Producers Applauds Callahan Nomination for Chief Agricultural Negotiator
National Sorghum Producers today welcomed the nomination of Dr. Julie Callahan as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Callahan brings almost 20 years of experience in agricultural trade policy and regulatory affairs. She currently serves as the assistant U.S. trade representative for agricultural affairs and commodity policy, where she oversees agricultural trade policy development, negotiates and implements free trade agreements, and leads USTR’s efforts to reduce tariff and nontariff barriers for U.S. agricultural exports. Her work supports the interests of U.S. farmers, ranchers, and food manufacturers across both bilateral and multilateral trade forums. She has also held senior positions at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Foreign Agricultural Service. “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’s nomination comes at a critical time for U.S. agriculture, with shifting global trade dynamics and growing interest in crops like sorghum that offer versatility to customers around the world. NSP urges the U.S. Senate to act swiftly to confirm her to this key role.
U.S. Dairy Industry Celebrates Julie Callahan Nomination for Chief Agricultural Negotiator
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.” Callahan currently serves as the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy where she leads on expanding and preserving market access opportunities for U.S. farmers and food manufacturers. Her impressive tenure in agricultural trade policy spans across a variety of leadership roles with USTR and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in addition to early career experience with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and the American Chemical Society. “Dr. Callahan’s nomination today is a win for U.S. agriculture,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “The U.S. dairy industry depends on a proactive trade policy agenda to grow. Dr. Callahan brings deep trade policy expertise and an unmatched record of advocating for U.S. farmers and food manufacturers to a role vital to ensuring agriculture has a seat at the negotiating table. We look forward to working with her to drive back trade barriers and build markets for American dairy producers. USDEC calls on the Senate to quickly confirm her as our next Chief Agricultural Negotiator.” “For far too long, the European Union has misused its geographical indications rules to monopolize common food names like ‘parmesan’ and block fair competition from U.S. producers,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “In her current role, Dr. Callahan has been leading the charge in preserving market access for U.S. common name producers in the face of these harmful EU policies. Her leadership will be instrumental in working to ensure that the European Union stops taking advantage of American farmers. We are excited for the opportunity to further work with her on this important mission and urge an expeditious confirmation process in the Senate.”
Meat Institute Applauds Nomination of Julie Callahan to be the USTR Chief Agriculture Negotiator
The Meat Institute today applauded the nomination of Julie Callahan to be the US Trade Representative (USTR) Chief Negotiator for Agriculture. “Julie has experience in the trenches at USTR negotiating on behalf of US agriculture,” said Julie Anna Potts President and CEO of the Meat Institute. “She will explore creative solutions to expand market access for meat and poultry and we also look forward to working with her in removing non-tariff barriers to trade. We urge her swift confirmation in the Senate.”
NPPC Congratulates Callahan on USTR Chief Ag Negotiator Nomination
President Trump today nominated Julie Callahan to be the chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a move lauded by the U.S. pork industry. Speaking on behalf of America’s 60,000+ pork producers, NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys released the following statement. “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.” The USTR chief agricultural negotiator represents the interests of America’s farmers and ranchers and the U.S. government in trade talks with foreign nations, working to reduce trade barriers, open new markets, and eliminate unfair trade practices. NPPC has pushed the administration to fill the chief agricultural negotiator position, which is especially critical to American agriculture given ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations. NPPC appreciates President Trump moving forward with filling this vital position and encourages Callahan’s swift confirmation.
