“We are very pleased with the Senate’s confirmation of Gregory Doud, Dennis Shea and C.J. Mahoney to key positions at the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR). These individuals have demonstrable experience in the areas of agriculture and trade policy, and we’re confident they will strongly advocate for U.S. dairy and agriculture overall.
“Ambassador Doud’s confirmation as chief agricultural negotiator comes at a critical time for the American farming community. As modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) continues, he will be instrumental in defending what is working well for agriculture and fixing what is broken, such as Canada’s damaging dairy pricing scheme and other barriers.
“We urge Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and his team to promote the importance of U.S. dairy exports at a time when producers need strong trade agreements to counter our competitors’ aggressive trade policy agenda. New market access opportunities will strengthen our economy by creating more dairy-related jobs in rural America and improving our balance of trade.
“We are committed to working closely with the new appointees, and others at USTR, to ensure a strong voice at the table for U.S. dairy during current and future trade policy discussions.”
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF’s cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more on NMPF’s activities, visit our website at www.nmpf.org.
