Trade Advocates, Officials Praise Senate Confirmation of Vetter as USTR Ag Negotiator
The Senate confirmed Darci Vetter as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in July 9 voice vote. Obama administration trade officials, industry representatives, and some lawmakers applauded the confirmation. The Senate Finance Committee approved Vetter’s nomination in May (see 14052201). “Oregon wheat growers, dairy farmers, and organics producers need someone at the negotiating table who understands that any trade deal must result in ambitious, comprehensive market opening for American agriculture,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a July 9 statement (here). “I am confident that Darci - the daughter of an organic farmer from Nebraska with deep experience on agriculture trade issues - will fight hard for their interests and those of all American agriculture producers.”
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Vetter is currently the Department of Agriculture deputy under secretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. USTR Michael Froman welcomed the confirmation in a separate statement (here), as did the International Dairy Foods Association (here). The association also reiterated an industry call for increased dairy market access through free trade agreements the U.S. is currently negotiating. The Obama administration has vowed to remove tariff and nontariff barriers on U.S. agricultural exports through the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (see 14061128).