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Doud to Senate Finance Committee: Japan needs work

Chief Agriculture Trade Negotiator nominee Gregg Doud told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee Thursday Japan is an area of trade that needs work.

“Failure to address this situation immediately does not bode well for our fiercely competitive and rapidly expanding production of beef, pork and poultry,” Doud told committee members.  “In fact, this is not only true for Japan, but for all of Southeast Asia as well.”

Doud – one of three individuals up for confirmation to administration trade posts – says the time is now to work on gaining access to global markets.

“Keeping in mind that the evolution to more liberalized trade in agriculture products takes a great deal of patience, we must also get started today in planting new trees of market access even though it may be quite some time before we’re able to enjoy shade from these efforts,” said Doud.

Doud is a veteran of Capitol Hill agriculture trade issues.  Among other positions, Doud was a trade specialist with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.  He’s from Kansas.