Ambassador Doug McKalip, USTR

This week’s Open Mic guest is Doug McKalip, chief agriculture negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The nation’s producers reaped the benefits of shorter supplies of global agriculture products over the past few years, but a stronger dollar and an increase in supply have brought headwinds to international trade. USDA's most recent ag forecast suggests a trade deficit for U.S. agriculture, and there hasn’t been an announcement of a new trade deal in some time, and the Biden administration has concentrated on reducing tariffs as a means of improving ag trade. McKalip says the U.S. won’t give in to Mexico’s challenge of genetically modified crops and is contemplating its next move in trade relations with Canada over dairy policy.