AFIA President and CEO Constance Cullman said Doug McKalip’s experience working at the White House makes him an ideal candidate for advocating U.S. agricultural interests.

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) welcomed President Joe Biden’s announcement Wednesday of his intent to nominate Doug McKalip as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The association stated that President Biden’s announcement provided a much-awaited and needed voice for agricultural trade concerns within the USTR and White House.

Below is the statement from AFIA President and CEO Constance Cullman regarding the nomination: “We are pleased to hear of Doug McKalip’s impending nomination as chief agricultural negotiator. His and advising for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand export opportunities and maintain U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace. We look forward to working with Mr. McKalip to leverage opportunities to tackle trade barriers and open new markets for the U.S. animal food industry.”

The U.S. animal food manufacturing industry relies heavily on trade. In 2021, U.S. animal feed and pet food manufacturers exported over $7.5 billion in products, including $5.5 billion in feed and feed ingredients and $2 billion in pet food products, a 22% increase in value over 2020. The industry’s exports support thousands of jobs across the feed industry and associated industries, and ensure that global farmers have access to the latest animal feed ingredients to help them produce food more efficiently and sustainably.