Senate Finance sets hearings on nominees, TPA as ag groups issue letters of support for Vetter and TPA
January 10, 2014 | 05:05 PM
The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled hearings next week on pending nominees and on the proposal to grant President Barack Obama trade promotion authority.
The nominee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday and the hearing on trade promotion authority is set for Thursday.
The American Farm Bureau Federation and 96 other agriculture and farm groups have written a letter of support for Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Darci Vetter to be confirmed as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Farm Bureau announced today.
Vetter “brings a wealth of well-rounded background expertise,” to the position, including more than six years of experience at USTR, dealing with implementation of various provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the groups wrote to the Senate Finance Committee.
“She has also had extensive experience working for the Senate Finance Committee, giving her a sound understanding of the importance as well as the workings of Congress,” according to the letter. “Her most recent experience within the U.S. Department of Agriculture has also given her direct exposure to the workings of many of the critical programs related to trade currently offered by the federal government as well as the numerous trade associations involved in helping to stimulate agricultural trade.”
The National Grain and Feed Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Corn Growers Association have joined other farm groups in issuing statements praising the release of the trade promotion authority bill.
“Our main goal is that the TPA legislation sets out clear negotiating principles for adequately dealing with the trade barriers facing the grain, feed and grain processing industry when out membership ship products to other regions of the world,” NGFA said.
“In addition to providing increased market access, NGFA is hopeful that this next generation of trade agreements will strengthen current protocols on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, including inclusion of a rapid-response mechanism for challenging and quickly resolving non-science-based SPS barriers to trade,” NGFA said.
The nominee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday and the hearing on trade promotion authority is set for Thursday.
The American Farm Bureau Federation and 96 other agriculture and farm groups have written a letter of support for Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Darci Vetter to be confirmed as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Farm Bureau announced today.
Vetter “brings a wealth of well-rounded background expertise,” to the position, including more than six years of experience at USTR, dealing with implementation of various provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the groups wrote to the Senate Finance Committee.
“She has also had extensive experience working for the Senate Finance Committee, giving her a sound understanding of the importance as well as the workings of Congress,” according to the letter. “Her most recent experience within the U.S. Department of Agriculture has also given her direct exposure to the workings of many of the critical programs related to trade currently offered by the federal government as well as the numerous trade associations involved in helping to stimulate agricultural trade.”
The National Grain and Feed Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Corn Growers Association have joined other farm groups in issuing statements praising the release of the trade promotion authority bill.
“Our main goal is that the TPA legislation sets out clear negotiating principles for adequately dealing with the trade barriers facing the grain, feed and grain processing industry when out membership ship products to other regions of the world,” NGFA said.
“In addition to providing increased market access, NGFA is hopeful that this next generation of trade agreements will strengthen current protocols on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, including inclusion of a rapid-response mechanism for challenging and quickly resolving non-science-based SPS barriers to trade,” NGFA said.
