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NGFA, NAEGA Commend Ag Secretary Perdue

Is reorganizing the USDA to include a new undersecretary

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) today commended Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for his "decisive and prompt" action in announcing a reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that includes the creation of a long-sought undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs position.

"It is highly significant that one of Secretary Perdue's first actions reflects his recognition of, and strong support for, the essential role that agricultural trade plays in the economic well-being of U.S. farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, rural communities and the nation as a whole," said NGFA President Randy Gordon and NAEGA President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Martin. "Reorganizing its structure and mission areas along these more functional lines, combined with the appointment of strong and capable officials to fill these positions, will help ensure the ongoing success of USDA programs that support trade and that USDA plays an influential role in helping inform and develop the Trump administration's overall trade strategies."

The NGFA and NAEGA noted that the U.S. food and agricultural sector is the world's largest and most efficient, providing food security to domestic and world consumers.

"The economic benefits of agricultural trade have been enjoyed by U.S. farmers, ranchers, dairy operators, feed mills, grain elevators, feed ingredient suppliers, grain and food processors, and many other agricultural businesses," Gordon and Martin said. "But those benefits also have accrued to the broader U.S. economy, particularly in terms of job creation and economic growth."

The NGFA and NAEGA cited data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as analyses conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that has found that the food and agriculture sector supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs, creates more than $423 billion in annual U.S. economic activity, and represents the single largest U.S. manufacturing sector - constituting 12 percent of all U.S. manufacturing jobs. Every dollar in U.S. agricultural exports generates an additional $1.27 in U.S. economic activity.

"We look forward to working closely with Secretary Perdue and the new undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs and their team, as well as the White House, to build an even more robust and prosperous future for U.S. agricultural trade," Gordon and Martin said.

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