WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2025 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai today announced the appointment or reappointment of 53 members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees.
The advisory committee system was created by Congress in 1974 to ensure that U.S. agricultural stakeholders have input and insight into U.S. trade policy and negotiating objectives.
The Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee is comprised of senior representatives from the U.S. agricultural community who advise USDA and USTR on trade policy matters, while members of the six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees offer input and guidance from the perspectives of their respective product sectors.
Members consult and advise USDA and USTR on U.S. policy that impacts global access to valuable markets. Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA and USTR have helped open and preserve billions in agricultural exports.
The appointees announced today will serve until December 2028.
A complete roster of members and additional information about the committees is available at www.fas.usda.gov/atacs.
The following is a list of the newly appointed or reappointed advisors, by committee:
Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee
- John Bode, Corn Refiners Association
- Alexandra Dunn, CropLife America
- Michael Dykes, International Dairy Foods Association
- Karis Gutter, Corteva AgriScience
- Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council
- Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
- Vince Peterson, U.S. Wheat Associates
- Julie Anna Potts, Meat Institute
- Mike Stranz, National Farmers Union
- James Sutter, U.S. Soybean Export Council
- Elaine Trevino, Sunkist Growers, Inc.
- William “Colin” Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
ATAC for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables
- Jeffrey Brandenburg, QFresh Lab
- Adam Hollowell, California Cherry Board
- Laura Johnson, Idaho State Department of Agriculture
- Molly O’Connor, CropLife America
- Kenneth Parker, Florida Strawberry Growers Association
- Kam Quarles, National Potato Council
- Alicia Rockwell, Blue Diamond Growers
- David Schumacher, Schumacher Ginseng
