Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell was recently appointed to a national agricultural trade advisory committee.
The president of Alabama’s largest farm organization is one of 25 new members to serve across seven different committees, announced U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this month.
Parnell, a fifth-generation beef cattle farmer and logger from Chilton County, will serve on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Products.
He will also provide technical advice and guidance to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC). Parnell will serve in these roles until 2024.
APAC advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on trade policy matters, including the operation of existing trade agreements and the negotiation of new agreements.
“It is an honor to represent the real-world impact of international trade on farm families and our rural communities,” Parnell stated.
“It is imperative U.S. trade policy be responsive to the needs of American agricultural producers. I believe my roles at the state and national levels position me to serve as a voice for those farmers,” he added.
In Alabama, agricultural exports total more than $1.3 billion annually. Parnell advised that foreign trade is critical to the health and financial sustainability of the state’s livestock, poultry, cotton, feed grain, peanut and soybean commodities.
He was a vocal supporter of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, which was negotiated by the Trump administration to replace NAFTA. The historic trade deal took effect in recent weeks.
Parnell has also been fighting for better trade conditions with China, among other examples.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.