Indian American to represent US in farm trade talks
September 23rd, 2009 - 10:36 pm ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, Sep 23 (IANS) President Barack Obama has nominated an eminent Indian American agricultural scientist to the key post of chief agriculture negotiator in the office of the US Trade Representative to represent US in crucial agricultural trade talks.
Obama Tuesday announced his intent to nominate Islam A Siddiqui, who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in plant protection from the Uttar Pradesh Agriculture University and MS and PhD degrees in plant pathology, both from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
“I am grateful for the willingness of these fine individuals to serve my administration and am confident that they will represent our nation well. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years,” Obama said of Siddiqui and seven other key appointees.
Siddiqui is currently Vice President for Science and Regulatory Affairs at CropLife America, where he is responsible for regulatory and international trade issues related to crop protection chemicals.
Previously, Siddiqui also served as CropLife America’s vice president for agricultural biotechnology and trade.
From 1997 to 2001, Siddiqui served in various capacities in the Clinton administration at US Department of Agriculture as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programmes, Senior Trade Advisor to Secretary Dan Glickman and Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programmes.
As a result, he worked closely with the USTR and represented USDA in bilateral, regional and multilateral agricultural trade negotiations.
Since 2004, Siddiqui has also served on the US Department of Commerce’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Health/Science Products & Services, which advises the US Secretary of Commerce and USTR on international trade issues related to these sectors.
Between 2001 and 2003, Siddiqui was senior associate at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he focused on agricultural biotechnology and food security issues.
Before joining USDA, Siddiqui spent 28 years with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
- Obama names two Indian-Americans to key posts - Jan 27, 2011
- Obama names Indian American to key agricultural post - Mar 28, 2010
- US sets up panel to probe unfair trade practices - Feb 29, 2012
- US vows to 'get tougher' on trade enforcement - Mar 08, 2012
- US asks India to address 'longstanding impediments' to trade - Jun 23, 2010
- Obama names yet another Indian American to key post - Apr 08, 2011
- USDA Issues Mandate For Healthier School Lunches - Jan 14, 2011
- U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Fernandez to travel to Malaysia and Indonesia next week - Oct 02, 2010
- Top Indians in the Obama administration - Mar 10, 2012
- US takes India to WTO over poultry import bar - May 12, 2012
- US raises India's sugar import quota - Jun 23, 2011
- Bio-technology the only way to combat world hunger: Experts - Oct 20, 2011
- US pushes India on economic reforms - Jun 24, 2011
- Herbicide tolerant GM crops pose serious health threat: Greenpeace - Aug 04, 2011
- Nirupama Rao in US to prepare ground for Obama visit - Sep 17, 2010
Tags: agricultural biotechnology, agricultural scientist, agricultural trade, agriculture university, arun kumar, bachelor of science, bachelor of science degree, barack obama, crop protection chemicals, croplife america, health science products, plant pathology, secretary dan glickman, siddiqui, trade negotiations, university of illinois at champaign, university of illinois at champaign urbana, us department of agriculture, us department of commerce, us secretary of commerce