Ag Industry Pleads for Chief Ag Negotiator as Tariff Pause Extended

Forty-two agricultural organizations sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday urging him to nominate a new Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, as Trump warned in a Truth Social post that there would be “no extension” to the new Aug. 1 deadline for reciprocal tariffs. The president signed an executive order Monday confirming the delay.

“This position is critical to prioritize the needs of American agriculture amidst the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations,” the letter said. 

In April, reports came out that Trump would nominate Doug Hoelscher of the America First Policy Institute to serve as Chief Ag Negotiator. Nothing has come up since these initial reports, and he is not listed on the Political Appointee Tracker run by Our Public Service or in articles that track Trump political nominees. 

Organizations such as the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), National Farmers Union (NFU), American Soybean Association (ASA), and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) all signed on with the letter.

The letter was released less than one day after Trump announced he was sending letters to countries informing them of new duties that would go into effect on Aug. 1 as part of an extended pause to the reciprocal tariffs originally announced on April 2.

The ag organizations are encouraged by the administration’s commitment to addressing “unfair trade practices,” but said the challenging conditions American farmers are facing, along with the heavy reliance they have on exports, show the importance of an ag negotiator to represent farm interests.

“A strong advocate in this role helps to ensure that agricultural priorities are integrated early and consistently throughout the negotiation process and brings critical expertise in the full range of agricultural production, supply chain, and technical issues,” the letter said. “Thus, this will lead to agreements that deliver real, tangible benefits for rural communities and the broader U.S. economy. 

“The Chief Agricultural Negotiator is an asset to farmers and ranchers across the U.S. as well as within the federal government.”

The letter ends with the argument that having someone in the role would “lead to more effective and productive negotiations, ultimately resulting in increased demand for high-quality American products.”