Froman, Vilsack to promote trade talks in California as USDA reports record ag exports
November 14, 2013 | 09:17 PM
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will promote President Barack Obama’s trade agenda in California on Sunday and Monday, Froman’s office announced late Wednesday.
On Sunday Froman and Vilsack will tour the Mondavi winery bottling and shipping facilities in St. Helena with Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and participate in an agricultural export roundtable.
On Monday, they will participate in an “armchair discussion” of the president’s trade agenda at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.
In its announcement, the Commonwealth Club noted, “When it comes to U.S. agriculture production and export, California is at the top. Most of our fruits, vegetables, nuts and dairy products hail from the Golden State.”
“But agriculture is facing many modern challenges, both in California and across the nation — from a shifting climate to concerns about a stable agricultural workforce,” the statement said. “Meanwhile, in the midst of the strongest five-year period for agricultural exports in U.S. history, the country has new opportunity to expand trade with Asian nations and the European Union.”
The club, which was found in 1903 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forums, billed the event as a conversation “about agricultural production, trade and immigration in an era of modern challenges and tremendous opportunity for California agriculture.”
Froman will also be engaged in a number of nonagricultural events over the weekend in Los Angeles and in San Francisco later Monday.
Meanwhile, USDA today released its final tally for agricultural exports in fiscal year 2013, showing a new record of $140.9 billion.
Vilsack noted in a statement that the 2009-2013 “stands as the strongest five-year period for agricultural exports in our nation’s history,” but said a new farm bill and negotiating trade agreements are necessary to keep up the momentum.
On Sunday Froman and Vilsack will tour the Mondavi winery bottling and shipping facilities in St. Helena with Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and participate in an agricultural export roundtable.
On Monday, they will participate in an “armchair discussion” of the president’s trade agenda at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.
In its announcement, the Commonwealth Club noted, “When it comes to U.S. agriculture production and export, California is at the top. Most of our fruits, vegetables, nuts and dairy products hail from the Golden State.”
“But agriculture is facing many modern challenges, both in California and across the nation — from a shifting climate to concerns about a stable agricultural workforce,” the statement said. “Meanwhile, in the midst of the strongest five-year period for agricultural exports in U.S. history, the country has new opportunity to expand trade with Asian nations and the European Union.”
The club, which was found in 1903 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forums, billed the event as a conversation “about agricultural production, trade and immigration in an era of modern challenges and tremendous opportunity for California agriculture.”
Froman will also be engaged in a number of nonagricultural events over the weekend in Los Angeles and in San Francisco later Monday.
Meanwhile, USDA today released its final tally for agricultural exports in fiscal year 2013, showing a new record of $140.9 billion.
Vilsack noted in a statement that the 2009-2013 “stands as the strongest five-year period for agricultural exports in our nation’s history,” but said a new farm bill and negotiating trade agreements are necessary to keep up the momentum.
