U.S. Trade Ambassador
spends day on a Delta farm
Visit of great benefit to agriculture

By DOREEN MUZZI
DBJ Contributing Writer

The benefits of having the United States chief agriculture negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative visit a working Delta farm are almost too numerous to list, says Washington County, Miss., producer Dan Branton.

Branton recently played host to Ambassador Allen F. Johnson and got the rare opportunity to explain the intricacies of cotton and catfish farming to a man who is on the frontline during international trade negotiations.

The recent visit was beneficial to both parties, Branton says. “Ambassador Johnson was able to see first-hand what a true Delta family farm looks like, and we were afforded the opportunity to talk to someone at a high level of the government,” says Branton. “I feel confident that we provided him the information he needs to know exactly where we’re coming from and to know how we’re affected by trade policy whenever he’s negotiating on our behalf. And, in the future, if he obtains a higher level job in the government, we’ll be able to talk to him on a first-name basis.”

It was Johnson’s first visit to both a working cotton gin and a catfish farm. Branton says the ambassador has an open invitation to visit again anytime in the future. That’s an invitation Branton hopes Johnson will accept. “It’s a privilege to be able to talk to someone at his level, and I’m hopeful we can continue to keep open those lines of communication.”

Branton took full advantage of his recent opportunity to further educate Ambassador Johnson about Delta agriculture.

“We answered any questions we could and showed him both the cotton ginning operation and the catfish farm and equipment. Prior to this visit, Ambassador Johnson wasn’t aware of the investment involved in catfish farming or of the ongoing management and farming responsibilities,” he says.

“We’re getting more out of less productive land, but we continue to battle imports in the catfish industry,” continues Branton. “I think the ambassador was always on our side, but we emphasized the trouble that we’re having with customs. We felt like we were being out-traded at one time. But we think Ambassador Johnson is doing an excellent job right now,” he says.

While in Mississippi, Johnson also operated a cotton picker on Kenneth Hood’s farming operation in Gunnison and met with agricultural leaders in Clarksdale.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the National Cotton Council for making Ambassador Johnson’s visit to the Delta possible,” Branton says.

During his visit to the South, Ambassador Johnson met with cotton and rice groups in Missouri and Mississippi to get first-hand knowledge from farmers and ranchers and to gain insights into improving the U.S. Trade Representative’s effectiveness. He previously visited Iowa hog and soybean farms, a Montana cattle ranch, Kansas wheat, milo and corn farms, and California fruit, nut and vegetable operations. DBJ