USTR

By a 53-43 vote the Senate confirmed Julie Callahan as chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The vote took place the week before Christmas.

The U.S. Trade Representative office recently announced it was opening a Section 301 investigation into China’s implementation of the Phase One trade agreement.

Lawmakers are urging the Administration to wade into next year’s USMCA renegotiation with “civility,” given the angst in Canada and Mexico over the president’s tariffs.

The American Sheep Industry Association has formally requested the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office initiate a global safeguard investigation into U.S. imports of lamb meat under the Trade Act of 1974.

The Administration announced a series of trade deals and frameworks with several Asian countries over the weekend.

Before leaving on its August recess, the Senate confirmed Luke Lindberg to serve as USDA undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, on a vote of 77-18

Julie Callahan, the Assistant USTR for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, is President Trump’s nominee for the role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator .

Over 40 U.S. agricultural groups sent a letter to President Trump asking him to quickly nominate a Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the USTR Office.

A new report estimates that the recently finalized U.S. port fees on Chinese-operated or built vessels could increase shipping costs for American Ag exporters

Earlier this week, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative took targeted action to restore American shipbuilding and address China’s efforts to dominate maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.  These actions come after a year-long Section 301 investigation.   “Ships...