NMPF Communicates Dairy Priorities to New Ag Trade Representatives, Congratulates Hill Leaders
February 1, 2023
NMPF and USDEC sent a letter on Jan. 23 to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator Doug McKalip and USDA Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor congratulating them on their confirmations and detailing the market access and trade priorities that NMPF is looking to advance in 2023 and beyond.
After many months of delay, Congress finally confirmed McKalip and Taylor at the end of 2022. NMPF and USDEC strongly supported both McKalip and Taylor’s nominations and called on Congress to quickly confirm both nominees throughout the delay. NMPF looks forward to working with Taylor and McKalip to expand market access and push for other dairy priorities.
NMPF and USDEC also sent letters congratulating the new leadership of the House committees responsible for agricultural export promotion efforts and trade policy. The letters to Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA), and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) relayed NMPF and USDEC’s dairy trade priorities, including increased funding for the Foreign Market Development and Market Access Programs, stronger protections for common names like “parmesan” and “feta,” and a more ambitious approach to tacking barriers to U.S. dairy exports.
NMPF will work closely with both committees to heighten the Congressional focus on agricultural trade issues in the coming year.
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