By Lynda Kiernan, Global AgInvesting Media

In many ways, this year is a year of firsts. For Global AgInvesting, as we consider the health, success, and wellbeing of our community, our 12th annual flagship conference – Global AgInvesting 2020 – will be taking place digitally for the first time, from 25 – 27 August.

This year continues to also be a year of uncertainty as the global pandemic raises questions and issues focused on supply chains and trade disruptions affecting the entire value chain from farm to table.

To help outline what to expect in the coming months, and to provide clarity during this uncertain  time, GAI welcomes U.S. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Ambassador Gregg Doud to the speaking faculty for Global AgInvesting 2020. 

Raised on a dry-land wheat, grain sorghum, soybean, swine, and cow-calf operation near Mankato, Kansas, Ambassador Doud today serves as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator with the Rank of Ambassador, in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Since his confirmation on March 1, 2018 in his role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Ambassador Doud has been responsible for navigating and overseeing international negotiations related to trade in agricultural products on behalf of the U.S.

Prior to his nomination, Ambassador Doud was the President of the Commodity Markets Council, beginning in 2013. Prior to his position with the Council, Doud was a Senior Professional Staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee for Senator Pat Roberts and Senator Thad Cochran, and was a member of the team that forged the 2012 Senate Farm Bill.

Over the course of the past 25 years he spent in Washington, DC, Ambassador Doud was Chief Economist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for eight years, and also worked for the U.S. Wheat Associates, and for World Perspectives, an agricultural commodity consulting firm.

With keen insight born from being a key figure in negotiations with international trading partners, Ambassador Doud will deliver a feature presentation on the current U.S. administration’s trade policy agenda, including the status of agricultural trade with key partners such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and several others.

And given the ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Ambassador Doud will also dedicate significant time to exploring the status of the implementation of Phase 1 of the trade deal agreed to between the two countries, which includes a commitment from China to purchase U.S. agricultural exports valued at $80 billion over the coming two years.

Another first for GAI is the newly launched ability for Global AgInvesting 2020 attendees to begin one-on-one networking weeks before the conference, on Monday, 3 August. 

Register now to join this digital community, to begin making connections with the world’s foremost ag stakeholders, and to gain exclusive access to the industry leading content and structured networking always experienced at GAI’s highly anticipated global events.

Lynda Kiernan is editor with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, and HighQuest Group’s Oilseed & Grain News. She is also a contributor to the GAI Gazette. She can be reached at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.