Dr. Julie Callahan joins ag trade team
Jun 17, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Robert Lighthizer announced that Dr. Julie Callahan will serve as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, permanently filling the career position vacated by Sharon Bomer Lauritsen in April.
Callahan and her team work on all agricultural trade negotiations, ranging from free trade agreement discussions to smaller bilateral agreements and trade enforcement at the World Trade Organization.
Callahan has previous work experience in the USTR Agricultural Affairs Office, focusing on agriculture trade issues within international organizations, as well as with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining USTR, she held positions at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, and the American Chemical Society.
“Dr. Callahan’s background in food safety and chemicals will make her a strong scientific voice of reason as arbitrary maximum residue limits increasingly become a trade policy concern in the international arena for rice and other commodities,” said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “While Sharon will be sorely missed, we are confident that the USTR ag team will continue to do a great job under Dr. Callahan’s leadership and that market access for U.S. rice abroad will continue to be a strong priority in the years to come.”