The California Walnut Commission commends U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for her leadership and advocacy during last week's trade mission to the United Kingdom, highlighting significant opportunities for American agricultural exports.
The mission – Secretary Rollins' first since taking office – focused on advancing the terms of a new U.S.-U.K. trade agreement aimed at reducing tariffs, eliminating trade barriers, and expanding U.S. market access. The agreement is projected to generate a $5 billion opportunity for U.S. agriculture exports, benefiting farmers, ranchers, and producers across the country.
Commission representatives Jack Mariani, CEO of Mariani Nut Company, and Robert Verloop, executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Commission, along with trade representatives Peter Meadows and Ian Forbes, from The Garden joined other commodity groups for a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Embassy in London. The event provided a platform for key stakeholders to engage with Secretary Rollins and discuss ways USDA trade promotion programs can support U.S. agricultural exports to the U.K.
© California Walnut CommissionSecretary Rollins with California Walnuts' delegation at U.S. agriculture industry roundtable.
"Having a seat at the table with Secretary Rollins gave us the opportunity to reinforce the importance of the U.K. market to California walnut growers," said Mariani. "As part of the discussion, we were able to highlight how funds from the USDA Market Access Program (MAP) have been able to support trade and consumer programs across the country. This support led to increased exports into the U.K. market, growing it into a top 10 export market for California walnuts."
During the mission, Secretary Rollins highlighted several U.S. agricultural products, including California walnuts, on her social media platforms, signaling support for American specialty crops abroad.
"We applaud Secretary Rollins for her dedication to U.S. farmers, enabling access for American products in existing markets, and opening new markets with strong demand for our products," said Verloop. "We look forward to continued collaboration with the Secretary and her team to advance the access and marketability of California walnuts around the world."
For more information:
Christine Lott
California Walnut Board/California Walnut Commission
Tel: +1 (916) 932-7070
[email protected]
https://walnuts.org/
