Jun 11, 2019

Vegetable representatives among those named to trade advisory committee

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on June 11 announced the appointment of 140 private-sector members to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade and six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the lists of appointees, by committee, including the committee for fruits and vegetables:

• Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables

Congress established the advisory committee system in 1974 to ensure that U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives reflect U.S. public- and private-sector commercial and economic interests. USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative jointly manage the committees.

The Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee provides advice and information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on the administration of trade policy, including enforcement of existing trade agreements and negotiating objectives for new trade agreements. The Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees offer technical advice and information about specific commodities and products.

The appointees will serve until June 15, 2023, and the committees will be supplemented by additional appointments over the next four years. Individuals are encouraged to apply for committee membership at any time and applications will be reviewed periodically. More information about the committees is available at https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-advisory-committees.