On Wednesday, March 19, WITA, the Clayton Yeutter Institute at the University of Nebraska, and the Agriculture Trade Education Council hosted on National Agriculture Trade Day held a Zoom webinar on trade and agriculture.
Panelists discussed the current trade landscape and future outlook of U.S. agricultural trade, including its place in relation to the overall U.S. economy, global markets, tariffs and trade barriers, and challenges faced by importers and exporters.
Featured Speakers:
Jordan Dux, Senior Director of National Affairs, Nebraska Farm Bureau
Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, International Food Policy Research Institute
Virginia Houston, Director of Government Affairs, American Soybean Association
Tom Madrecki, Vice President, Supply Chain Resiliency, Consumer Brands Association
Moderator: Darci Vetter, Principal, Sower Strategies, LLC; former Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Speaker Biographies:
Jordan Dux serves as the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of National
Affairs having started with the organization in 2009. Jordan is responsible for managing
NEFB’s national lobbying, regulatory, and policy development program. His responsibilities require him to work closely with Nebraska’s Congressional Delegation as well as the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Jordan grew up on a hog operation near Fairbury, Nebraska. He earned his Bachelor of Arts
degrees in political science, as well as religious studies from Doane College in May 2007.
Before arriving at Nebraska Farm Bureau, Jordan worked on agricultural issues for Nebraska’s Third District Congressman Adrian Smith, and also spent time in Washington, D.C. working in the public policy department of the National Grange.
Jordan, along with his wife and their two daughters reside in their hometown of Fairbury,
Nebraska where they remain involved in their family’s showpig operation.
Joseph W. Glauber is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC where his areas of interest are price volatility, global grain reserves, crop insurance and trade. Prior to joining IFPRI, Glauber spent over 30 years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture including as Chief Economist from 2008 to 2014. As Chief Economist, he was responsible for the Department’s agricultural forecasts and projections, oversaw climate, energy and regulatory issues, and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
From 2007-2009, Glauber was the Special Doha Agricultural Envoy at the office of the U.S. Trade Representative where he served as chief agricultural negotiator in the Doha talks. He served as economic adviser at the so-called Blair House agreements leading to the completion of the Uruguay Round negotiations. He is the author of numerous studies on crop insurance, disaster policy and U.S. farm policy.
Dr. Glauber received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1984 and holds an AB in anthropology from the University of Chicago. In 2012, he was elected Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
Virginia Houston is the Director of Government Affairs at the American Soybean Association, where she leads ASA efforts on issues pertaining to trade policy, market access, and international biotechnology and crop protection. She also handles tax policy, livestock, and aquaculture issues for the association. She joined ASA in June 2020 after six years as the Director of Government Relations at the American Seed Trade Association, where she was responsible for implementing ASTA’s federal legislative initiatives.
Prior to joining ASTA, Virginia held previous positions at the National Pork Producers Council, the Animal Agriculture Alliance and the Agriculture Marketing Service at USDA.
A native of east Tennessee, Virginia grew up on a diversified cow/calf operation, and her family owns and operates the oldest livestock auction market in Tennessee. Virginia holds a B.S. in political science from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree in political management with a specialization in advocacy politics from The George Washington University.
Tom Madrecki is the Vice President of Campaigns & Special Projects at the Consumer Brands Association, he leads dynamic campaigns, leveraging insights from our Early Warning System structure to skillfully develop and execute integrated strategies while also overseeing the association’s supply chain portfolio.
Prior to this role, Madrecki served as Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics at Consumer Brands, where he represented the collective transportation, technology, sourcing and sustainability priorities of America’s CPG industry. Preceding his tenure at the association, he served as the director of urban innovation and mobility at UPS, where he led partnerships between the delivery company and city leaders to reduce congestion, increase quality of life and shape policy.
An avid cyclist, freight transportation wonk and graduate of the University of Virginia, he lives in Arlington with his wife, Priya, his sons, Noah and Maro, and their Siberian husky, Ava. The entire family is believed to single-handedly sustain America’s cheese and ice cream industry.
Ambassador Darci Vetter is General Manager for Public Affairs at Edelman. Formerly Chief Agricultural Negotiator and Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture. At Edelman, Vetter will lead the Public Affairs practice, collaborating across the full scope of offerings in the D.C. office. She will report to Lisa Ross, president of Edelman’s Washington, D.C. office. As the vice chair for Agriculture, Food and Trade, Vetter will work to spearhead the firm’s push to strengthen its support to clients in the commodities, supply chain, agribusiness and global trade arenas.
“Darci’s experience in Washington and negotiating around the world make her an incredible resource for our clients who are looking to protect their brands and grow and evolve their businesses in a complicated world. Our Trust research tells us that consumers are looking for businesses to have a voice on an increasing number of issues, and she can help them do just that,” said Ross. “Darci’s expertise will also help our clients identify new opportunities and open doors in food and agriculture in the U.S. and globally.”
Vetter, a longtime D.C. veteran, was most recently a consultant on international trade for food and agriculture, developing strategies for agricultural companies and trade associations on how best to engage foreign trading partners, foreign governments and U.S. government agencies. Previously, she served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where she led the development and execution of agricultural trade policy and negotiations for the U.S. government and negotiated the agricultural package of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement. Before that she was Deputy Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she provided policy direction for international programs and oversaw the Foreign Agricultural Service.
“I am excited to apply my experience negotiating complex trade, agricultural and environmental issues in the government arena to world of strategic communications, helping companies and organizations navigate increasingly complex supply chains, policies and consumer expectations,” said Vetter. “I can’t think of a better place to do so than with the talented and innovative team at Edelman.”
Vetter has been awarded some of the agriculture industry’s most prominent awards, including the U.S. Meat Export Federation Michael J. Mansfield Award in 2016. She was named Woman of the Year in 2015 by the Organization of Women in International Trade. She also sits on the CME Group’s Agricultural Markets Advisory Council, and on the Board of Directors for the Neogen Corporation and the Farm Foundation. Vetter is a graduate of Drake University and received her Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University.
This event was held in partnership with
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