Visit by Chief Ag Negotiator Gregg Doud

To: Iowa Reporters and Editors
Fr: Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
Da: Thursday, June 7, 2018
Re: Visit by Chief Ag Negotiator Gregg Doud

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig issued the following statement regarding the visit to Iowa today, Thursday, June 7, by Ambassador Gregg Doud, the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries.

Trade is vitally important to Iowa agriculture. Iowa is first in the nation in exports of pork, corn and feed grain and second in soybean exports and for overall value of agricultural exports. In 2017, Iowa exported over $13.2 billion in manufactured goods and value-added agricultural products to 185 countries.
Naig, Doud and USDA Under Secretary for Regulatory and Marketing Programs Greg Ibach are visiting Corteva Agriscience in Johnston, the Couser farm in Nevada, attending the World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds and participating in an ag roundtable discussion.

Naig issued the following statement regarding the visit:
“I appreciate Ambassador Doud and Under Secretary Ibach visiting Iowa to meet with farmers and businesses about the importance of international trade to our ag economy. We continue to hear that everyone understands that there are real challenges in our trade relationships that need to be addressed, but these issues need to be addressed in a way that doesn’t put added pressure on our ag economy. During the visit I am reiterating again how important it is that the Administration moves quickly to resolve these trade issues and work to not just protect, but also expand our export markets.”