Doug McKalip

Doug McKalip says he is busy in his role as Chief Agricultural Negotiator with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office.  He recently noted that he has a host of priorities on his to-do list.   “The first focus would be on keeping markets we have open. A lot of work has been do...

He says it all adds up.  When a specific U.S. food or farm commodity gains or expands access overseas, and that’s repeated several times over, the needle begins to move for the American Ag sector.  That according to Doug McKalip, Chief Ag negotiator at USTR.  He said they were able ...

The United States has requested a second dispute settlement panel within USMCA.  At issue, Canada's dairy tariff rate quotas.   "We bring the case our findings and our documentation to the panel," noted Doug McKalip, chief Ag negotiator at USTR.  "The way these th...

Doug McKalip, the new agriculture trade boss in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, has given Mexico until Tuesday, February 14th, to explain the science behind the country’s planned ban on GMO corn imports.  Market Screener said the response will help the agency decide the next steps to resolve the long-running disagreement over Mexico’s biotechnology policies when it comes to agriculture.  T

Secretary Tom Vilsack said with the new Ag trade team of Alexis Taylor and Doug McKalip in place, U.S. producers will soon see the benefits.  Both were confirmed to their trade posts by the Senate last month.  Taylor, the former head of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to head USDA’s Foreign Ag Service as Undersecretary for Trade; and McKalip as Chief Ag Negotiator at the U.S. Trade Represent

Doug McKalip, was confirmed as President Biden’s Chief Ag Trade Negotiator with the U.S. Trade Representative’s office just before Christmas.  He now faces a huge challenge to expand overseas market access.  It’s not a new issue for McKalip, who has roughly 30 years’ experience at USDA, including as an advisor to Secretary Vilsack.   “Recently at USDA, I helped spearh...

After nearly two years vacant, the Senate confirmed Doug McKalip to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the United States Trade Representative Thursday.  After the vote, USTR, Katherine Tai said McKalip has generated broad, bipartisan support from Members of Congress, governors, and state agriculture commissioners, and also received strong endorsements from key stakeholders.  Tai add...

The first two years of the Biden Administration are almost in the books, but several key trade positions remained unfilled, which has frustrated many in the farming community.  On the USTR side, Doug McKalip has been put forth as the chief agricultural negotiator, and at this point, his confirmation requires a vote in D.C.  And t...

USDA nominees for top trade and food safety posts will now have to wait until after the midterm elections in November for Senate confirmation votes.  The Senate wrapped up work Thursday to head home for campaigns without confirming Biden USDA undersecretary nominees Oregon Department of Ag head Alexis Taylor for trade and Jose Emilio Esteban for food safety.  That’s ...

The Senate Finance Committee unanimously voted to move Doug McKalip’s nomination to be USTR’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator to the full Senate for a final vote.  He won bipartisan support despite Republican objections to the Administration’s anti-free trade policy.   “I intend to ...