Ambassador Islam Siddiqui, the chief U.S. agriculture negotiator, has decided to leave his post soon, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman announced Thursday.

Froman noted that Siddiqui played a key role in the Panama, Colombia and Korea free trade agreements as well as the recent World Trade Organization ministerial in Bali.

Siddiqui also served in the Agriculture Department during the Clinton administration and worked for the California Department of Food & Agriculture and in the private sector.