An organic trade pact between the U.S. and Japan has been expanded to include livestock products, the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative announced Tuesday.

U.S. lawmakers and farm groups are cheering the Wednesday implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but many remain wary because of complications that are already manifesting.

The Washington offices of the U.S. Trade Representative are buzzing as collaboration with China over the “phase one” deal continues and final preparations are made for the launch of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud said he expects both deals will lead to increased sales of U.S. farm products. 

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced Friday he’s chosen Julie Callahan – an FDA and USDA alumnus – to work side-by-side with Ambassador Gregg Doud, representing the interests of the U.S. ag sector around the globe.

China will be huge for U.S. beef. That’s the conclusion of U.S. negotiators and the U.S. cattle industry, but it’s going to take a lot of work to get there and the Chinese will have to come through on major promises over the next two months that were made in the “phase one” deal that was signed last week in the White House.

China should be buying wheat, corn and rice from the U.S. as a result of the "phase one" trade deal and tariffs will not hamper those sales, Gregg Doud, chief agricultural negotiator with the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Friday.

In a wide-ranging year-end interview, USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud offered more details about the "Phase One" deal with China, a long list of export accomplishments, and what to expect on trade in 2020.

High-level U.S. and Chinese agricultural trade officials are prominent in the bilateral trade talks this week as Gregg Doud, the top ag negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative, and Han Jun, China’s vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, met together with others at USTR's Washington headquarters Thursday.