A coalition of 170 food and agriculture stakeholders signed a letter in support of the nomination of Ms. Elaine Trevino as the as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The letter to Senate Finance leadership requests the expeditious confirmation of Ms. Trevino and outlines her robust qualifications and experience to succeed in the position (a copy of the letter is included below).
On behalf of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), and Corn Refiners Association (CRA), we thank the U.S. food and agriculture associations at all levels (national, regional, state, etc.) and companies that signed on to the letter.
October 15, 2021
The Honorable Ron Wyden, Chairman
The Honorable Mike Crapo, Ranking Member
U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo:
We, the undersigned food and agriculture organizations and companies, are pleased to support the nomination of Elaine Trevino to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Collectively we represent the vast majority of the food and agriculture sector, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the country’s economic activity and directly supporting over 20 million jobs – constituting more than 13 percent of total U.S. employment.
Ms. Trevino is deeply familiar with the food and agriculture industry through her work in several critical roles. In addition to her current position leading the Almond Alliance of California, she served as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture for California and is a member of USDA’s Agriculture Policy Advisory Committee. She understands the critical need to open and maintain foreign market access and reduce barriers for U.S. food and agriculture workers and exporters for the benefit of consumers in the U.S. and across the globe.
We especially value Ms. Trevino’s demonstrated advocacy, regulatory, and international trade experience for California, a leading agriculture producing state. She is eminently qualified to be a successful Chief Agriculture Negotiator in addressing the most pressing food and agriculture trade policy issues. Such issues include the critical importance of opening up new markets, the need to address growing trade challenges with China, the continual erection of new barriers to trade by the European Union, and the management of an expanding set of trade issues with Mexico, the enforcement of existing trade agreements and the imperative of tackling non-tariff barriers to trade around the world. We believe that Ms. Trevino has the experience and expertise to secure greater market access for U.S. products and ensure enforcement of clear and fair rules with our trade partners so U.S. food and agriculture workers and our industry sectors may fairly compete in the global economy.
We strongly urge the Senate Finance Committee to advance Elaine Trevino’s nomination as soon as possible. Please feel free to call upon any of the undersigned entities to discuss our rationale for supporting the nomination of Elaine Trevino.
Sincerely,
Ag Association Management Services, Inc.
Ag Processing Inc
Agricultural Council of California
Agri-Mark
AgTrade Strategies LLC
American Agri-Women
American Bakers Association
American Dairy Products Institute
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Fruit and Vegetable Processors and Growers Coalition
American Peanut Council
American Pistachio Growers
American Seed Trade Association
American Sesame Growers Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
Animal Health Institute
Association of California Egg Farmers
Bayer US
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Blue Diamond Growers
California Ag Irrigation Association
California Alfalfa & Forage Association
California Apple Commission
California Association of Wheat Growers
California Association of Winegrape Growers
California Bean Shippers Association
California Blueberry Commission
California Canning Peach Association
California Cherry Export Association
California Cherry Growers and Industry Association
California Citrus Mutual
California Cotton Alliance
California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association
California Dairies, Inc.
California Date Commission
California Farm Bureau
California Fig Advisory Board
California Fresh Fruit Association
California Grain & Feed Association
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
California Pork Producers Association
California Poultry Federation
California Prune Board
California Rice Commission
California Seed Association
California State Beekeepers Association
California State Floral Association
California Strawberry Commission
California Sweetpotato Council
California Table Grape Commission
California Tomato Growers Association
California Walnut Commission
California Warehouse Association
California Wild Rice Advisory Board
Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports
CoBank
Colorado Dairy Farmers
Commercial Creamery Co.
Corn Refiners Association
CropLife America
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
DairyAmerica
Diamond Foods, LLC
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Driscoll’s
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Fair Oaks Farms
Farm Credit Council
Farmers for Free Trade
Food Export – Midwest
Food Export – Northeast
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Georgia Milk Producers, Inc.
Grassland Dairy Product Inc.
Grower Shipper Association of Central California
GROWMARK
Haley and Associates
Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc.
Holly Tree Farm
Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Inc.
Idaho Potato Commission
Imperial Valley Asparagus Growers Association
Imperial Valley Vegetable Growers Association
International Dairy Foods Association
Iowa State Dairy Association
James Farrell & Co.
KCoe Isom, LLP
Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Leather and Hide Council of America
Leprino Foods Company
Mead Johnson Nutrition
Meat Import Council of America
Michigan Agri-Business Association
Michigan Milk Producers Association
Milk Producers Council
Milk Specialties Global
Minnesota Milk Producers Association
National All-Jersey Inc.
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Confectioners Association
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Farmers Union
National Fisheries Institute
National Grain and Feed Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Oilseed Processors Association
National Pecan Federation
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Turkey Federation
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Nisei Farmers League – President
North American Blueberry Council
North American Export Grain
North American Meat Institute
North American Millers’ Association
North American Renderers Association
North Dakota Corn Growers
North Dakota Grain Growers Association
Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives
Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold
Northwest Horticultural Council
Nutrien
Olive Growers Council of California
Olive Oil Commission of California
Organic Trade Association
Pacific Coast Renderers Association
Pacific Egg & Poultry Association
Pacific Seed Association
Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association
Pet Food Institute
Plant California Alliance
Sartori Company
Select Milk Producers
South East Dairy Farmers Association
Southern United States Trade Association
Stenderup Ag Partners
Sunkist Growers
Sunmaid Growers of California
Sunsweet Growers Inc.
Sweetener Users Association
Syngenta
Texas Grain and Feed Association
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Dairy Export Council
U.S. Durum Growers Association
U.S. Peanut Federation
U.S. Wheat Associates
United Dairymen of Arizona
United Egg Producers
United Fresh Produce Association
United States Meat Export Federation
Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.
US Dry Bean Council
US Livestock Genetics Export, Inc.
USA Poultry & Egg Export Council
USA Rice
Washington State Dairy Federation
Western Agricultural Processors Association
Western Growers
Western Plant Health Association
Western United States Agricultural Trade Association
William Westman & Associates LLC
Wine Institute
World Perspectives, Inc.