[Senate Hearing 117-610]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                        S. Hrg. 117-610

                NOMINATIONS OF DR. JOSE EMILIO ESTEBAN,
                      MR. VINCENT GARFIELD LOGAN,
                         AND MS. ALEXIS TAYLOR

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                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE
                               
                       COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,
                        NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                           September 22, 2022

                               __________

                       Printed for the use of the
           Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
           
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]           


                  Available on http://www.govinfo.gov/
                  
                                __________

                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
51-391 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2024                    
          
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           COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY


                 DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan, Chairwoman
PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont            JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio                  MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota             JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado          JONI ERNST, Iowa
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York      CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
TINA SMITH, Minnesota                ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama
CORY BOOKER, New Jersey              CHARLES GRASSLEY, Iowa
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico            JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia             DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
                                     MIKE BRAUN, Indiana

                 Erica Chabot, Majority Staff Director
                    Jessica L. Williams, Chief Clerk
               Fitzhugh Elder IV, Minority Staff Director
                            
                            
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              

                      Thursday, September 22, 2022

                                                                   Page

Hearing:

Nominations of Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban, Mr. Vincent Garfield 
  Logan, and Ms. Alexis Taylor...................................     1

                              ----------                              

                    STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY SENATORS

Stabenow, Hon. Debbie, U.S. Senator from the State of Michigan...     1
Boozman, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the State of Arkansas......     3

                               WITNESSES

Esteban, Jose Emilio, MVM, MBA, Ph.D, of California, to be Under 
  Secretary of Agriculture For Food Safety.......................     7
Logan, Vincent Garfield, of New York, to be a Member of the Farm 
  Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration........     9
Taylor, Alexis, of Iowa, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture For 
  Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.........................    11
                              ----------                              

                                APPENDIX

Prepared Statements:
    Esteban, Jose Emilio, MVM, MBA, Ph.D.........................    32
    Logan, Vincent Garfield......................................    35
    Taylor, Alexis...............................................    37

Document(s) Submitted for the Record:
Stabenow, Hon. Debbie:
    Agricultural Companies in support of Alexis Taylor, letter of 
      support....................................................    42
    American Forest and Paper Association, letter of support.....    45
    Agriculture Industry, letter of support......................    46
    The Association of Public Health Laboratories, letter of 
      support....................................................    50
    The Association of Public Health Laboratories, letter of 
      support....................................................    51
    National Cattlemen's Beef Association, letter of support for 
      Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban....................................    52
    National Cattlemen's Beef Association, letter of support for 
      Alexi Taylor...............................................    53
    The Food Industry Association, letter of support.............    54
    Farm Credit Council, letter of support.......................    55
    National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.....    56
Esteban, Jose Emilio, MVM, MBA, Ph.D.:
    Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics 
      Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure 
      Report and 5-day letter filed by Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban  . 

Logan, Vincent Garfield:
    Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics 
      Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure 
      Report and 5-day letter filed by Vincent Garfield Logan  .. 

Taylor, Alexis:
    Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics 
      Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure 
      Report and 5-day letter filed by Alexis Taylor   



Question and Answer:
Esteban, Jose Emilio, MVM, MBA, Ph.D.:
    Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......   184
    Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........   184
    Written response to questions from Hon. Sherrod Brown........   187
    Written response to questions from Hon. Kirsten E. Gillibrand   188
    Written response to questions from Hon. Cory Booker..........   189
    Written response to questions from Hon. Ben Ray Lujan........   193
    Written response to questions from Hon. Raphael Warnock......   193
    Written response to questions from Hon. Joni Ernst...........   195
    Written response to questions from Hon. Tommy Tuberville.....   195
Logan, Vincent Garfield:
    Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......   197
    Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........   197
    Written response to questions from Hon. Sherrod Brown........   198
    Written response to questions from Hon. Tina Smith...........   199
    Written response to questions from Hon. Joni Ernst...........   200
    Written response to questions from Hon. Charles Grassley.....   201
Taylor, Alexis:
    Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......   202
    Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........   204
    Written response to questions from Hon. Sherrod Brown........   206
    Written response to questions from Hon. Kirsten E. Gillibrand   207
    Written response to questions from Hon. Raphael Warnock......   207
    Written response to questions from Hon. John Hoeven..........   209
    Written response to questions from Hon. Tommy Tuberville.....   211
    Written response to questions from Hon. Charles Grassley.....   211

 
Nominations of Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban, Mr. Vincent Garfield Logan, and 
                           Ms. Alexis Taylor

                              ----------                              


                      THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

                                       U.S. Senate,
         Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., via 
WebEx and in room 215, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. 
Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Committee, presiding.
    Present or submitting a statement: Senators Stabenow, 
Klobuchar, Gillibrand, Smith, Lujan, Warnock, Boozman, Hoeven, 
Ernst, Hyde-Smith, Marshall, Tuberville, Grassley, Thune, 
Fischer, and Braun.

STATEMENT OF HON. DEBBIE STABENOW, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE 
    OF MICHIGAN, CHAIRWOMAN, U.S. COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, 
                    NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Good morning. I call to order the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
    First this morning, before getting to a very important 
hearing, I want to do a couple of things. One, officially 
welcome again Erica Chabot, who is our new staff director. 
Welcome, Erica. We are glad to have you. That is the happy 
note.
    The sad note is we have two members who have done wonderful 
things for the Committee that are going to be moving on 
shortly. Because this is our last hearing, I think, before they 
leave, I want to say thank you. One is Jacqlyn Schneider, who 
has been with the Committee for 11 years, serving as our Deputy 
Staff Director for the last seven. She has been an integral 
part of the team, an expert on specialty crops, of course near 
and dear to my heart, and has been a really important part of 
the Committee's success. On all things nutrition and food 
security she is the expert and so well-respected in the 
nutrition community. I know she is going to do well in her next 
tenure. Jacqlyn, where are you? Thank you.
    [Applause.]
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. Someone who has not been 
with us as long but we have appreciated so much is Patrick 
Delaney, who has been with the team for the last two years. He 
served as Communications Director for the House Agriculture 
Committee. We have come to rely on his media savvy, his hard 
work on the farm bill hearings, and the outreach for the 
Committee. We know that he will do well, and wish he and his 
family well on his next chapter. Where is Patrick? Thank you, 
Patrick.
    [Applause.]
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Wonderful. We hate to see anyone go. I 
think Senator Boozman and I would like to have a room that we 
lock people in so they cannot get out on the Committee. We have 
been so blessed with so many wonderful staff.
    Today's hearing. We are considering the nominations of Dr. 
Jose Emilio Esteban to be Under Secretary for Food Safety at 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Mr. Vincent Logan to be a 
member of the Farm Credit Administration Board; and Alexis 
Taylor, to be Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs at the USDA. Welcome to all of you. It is 
a pleasure to have you and your families here today. You each 
have been nominated for very important roles for American 
farmers and rural communities and all of us in America.
    Every American deserves to know that the food they are 
eating is safe. That is why it is imperative we fill the USDA 
Under Secretary for Food Safety position. Dr. Esteban is a 
dedicated public servant and food safety expert with over 24 
years of experience as a food safety regulator. His expertise 
will help USDA ensure that the food families put on their 
tables is safe.
    Through funding that I secured in the American Rescue Plan, 
the USDA is investing more than $1 billion to create new small 
and medium-sized meat and poultry processing capacity. These 
investments are building a more resilient food system, and we 
need to be sure these processors are successful. Dr. Esteban, 
you will play a very important role in making sure that 
happens.
    Next, Mr. Vincent Logan is nominated to serve as a board 
member for the Farm Credit Administration (FCA). The Farm 
Credit System ensures that rural communities and agricultural 
producers of all types and sizes have reliable access to 
credit. Mr. Logan's extensive background in both agriculture 
and financial sectors makes him very well qualified for this 
role.
    Mr. Logan's nomination is also historic. If confirmed, he 
will be the first Native American to serve as a Farm Credit 
Administration board member. It is long overdue that we fill 
this board seat, which has been vacant for several years, and I 
will also note that while I appreciate the continued service of 
the two current board members, both of their terms have expired 
and we urge the White House to quickly nominate people to fill 
those positions.
    Our farmers and foresters need consistent access to capital 
and to markets as well, to sell their products. Agriculture 
exports add over $154 billion to the U.S. economy each year--
$154 billion to our U.S. economy--supporting more than one 
million jobs. Yet producers consistently face unscientific and 
other non-tariff trade barriers. Congress recognized this in 
the 2014 Farm Bill, when I worked with Senator Roberts and then 
former Financial Committee Chairman, Senator Baucus, to 
establish the USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs.
    It is fitting that Senator Baucus' agriculture staffer 
during the 2014 Farm Bill, Alexis Taylor, is before us today. I 
do not think you probably assumed you would be here when we put 
that in the Farm Bill, but we are so glad that you are here 
today to fill this position.
    Ms. Taylor grew up on her family's farm in northeast Iowa, 
a farm that has been in her family for more than 160 years. She 
has spent her entire career as a dedicated public servant, 
working for American agriculture, most recently as the Director 
of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Ms. Taylor understands 
trade in agriculture and will be a real asset to the USDA as 
they help farmers and rural communities recover from the 
pandemic.
    While completing her degree, Ms. Taylor has also served in 
the U.S. Army Reserves, did a tour in Iraq, and we thank you 
for your service as well.
    Each of these nominees has strong bipartisan support, and I 
am looking forward to moving them quickly through the Committee 
and through the Senate.
    Finally, all of our nominees today have support from a 
broad range of stakeholders across trade, finance, and 
agriculture sectors. I ask unanimous consent that these letters 
describing their support be entered into the record. Ordered, 
without objection.

    [The following letters can be found on pages 42-57 in the 
appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Now I would like to turn to my friend 
and partner, our Ranking Member, Senator Boozman, for his 
opening comments.

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN BOOZMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF 
                            ARKANSAS

    Senator Boozman. Well, thank you very much, Madam Chair. 
Today we meet to hear from Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban, President 
Biden's nominee to serve as the Under Secretary for Food 
Safety; Mr. Vincent Garfield Logan, the President's nominee to 
serve as a member of the Farm Credit Administration Board; and 
Ms. Alexis Taylor, the President's nominee to serve as the 
Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. I 
congratulate you all on your nominations and thank you for your 
willingness to serve the public.
    I would also like to specifically recognize Ms. Taylor and 
express my gratitude for her service in the military, serving 
in the U.S. Army, which included a deployment to Iraq. Again, 
thank you very much for that.
    While each nominee will, if confirmed, have significant 
impact upon their agencies, collectively these three nominees 
will have a sizable impact on all of agriculture. From the 
credit farmers and ranchers depend on, to the opportunities 
existing in new export markets provided for our producers, to 
ensuring that our meat and poultry supply is wholesome and 
safe, these nominees are being asked to lead some of the most 
consequential agencies affecting agriculture.
    It has become a common refrain that the pandemic stressed 
our agriculture in ways that most of us have never experienced. 
Since then, we have seen the impacts of inflation, supply chain 
disruptions, and the war in Ukraine on agriculture. The Farm 
Credit Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, 
and the Foreign Agricultural Service have all been at the 
forefront of confronting these challenges.
    These nominees face much different conditions than their 
predecessors did. Briefly, I would like to touch on a few 
issues that concern me in each of the nominees' area of 
responsibility.
    For farm credit, U.S. farm debt is projected to reach a 
record high of nearly $500 billion in 2022, up five percent 
from last year and up nearly 70 percent from a decade ago. Due 
to rapidly increasing interest rates, farm interest expenses 
related to servicing record-high farm debt are expected to 
increase by $7.5 billion to a record $26 billion, the largest 
increase of all time, and up nearly 40 percent from last year.
    In addition to increasing interest expenses in 2022, the 
record-high increase in farm production expenses is expected to 
persist in 2023, making the cost of borrowing and capitalizing 
farm production efforts such as the upcoming spring planting 
season even more expensive.
    On food safety, ensuring the safety of the U.S. food supply 
is of the utmost importance and one of the most crucial 
functions performed by USDA. Reliance on science and data have 
historically been the cornerstone of our country's food safety 
regulation, and it certainly should remain so. I think we all 
agree on that. I am interested in knowing more about the USDA's 
recent declaration of salmonella as an adulterant in certain 
poultry products, and hope to get a better understanding of 
USDA's future plans with regard to salmonella regulation.
    Separately, I was critical of USDA's shift on line speeds 
in the pork industry. Poultry processors are also facing 
uncertainty on this front. Sudden changes in a regulatory 
system such as this have significant consequences for 
producers, the food supply, and consumer food prices.
    Finally, but extremely important, trade. Ensuring market 
access abroad for our farmers and ranchers while keeping other 
countries honest as they supply our markets is critical for 
U.S. agriculture and the U.S. economy. Up until recently, ag 
trade was one of the few contributors toward a positive trade 
balance. We need to return ag to being a net export.
    Farmers and ranchers across the U.S. do not know what this 
Administration's trade goals or plans are to expand market 
access for their family farms. I have confidence that Ms. 
Taylor and Mr. McKalip, the nominee to serve as the Chief 
Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the United States 
Trade Rep, have the skills and abilities to help our producers. 
I do question if they will be receiving the support they need 
from the White House.
    I have met with each nominee prior to this morning and I 
believe we had informative, positive conversations. I look 
forward to today's hearing, and again, thank our nominees for 
their willingness to serve.
    Before I close I just want to touch on a different matter 
for just a second. Recently, USDA announced the closure of a 
cotton classing facility in Dumas, Arkansas. The closure 
results in the termination of upwards to 200 people in this 
small delta town where poverty is abundant, jobs are scarce, 
and that is concerning. Currently their contributions to the 
Dumas economy will be permanently lost without immediate 
action. I very much appreciate the Deputy Secretary recently 
meeting with the mayor of Dumas. I have talked to Secretary 
Vilsack about this.
    Again, I do appreciate the fact that we are moving forward, 
and I think the single most important step USDA could do to 
help the community further its goals and equity would be to 
maintain its presence in Dumas. We look forward to working 
together.
    Also, very quickly, Madam Chair, I also want to thank 
Jacqlyn for her service. I think we came to the Committee about 
the same time, and I know how hard you have worked, and your 
finger that has been in so many different things through the 
years. We do appreciate your service. Certainly, Patrick, we 
appreciate all you do, and again, good luck as both of you go 
forward. Things always work out for the best, and I do not 
think we have to worry about either one of you.
    Thank you, Madam Chair, and I yield back.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Well, thank you so much, Senator 
Boozman. Again, welcome to each of our witnesses. We will now 
introduce them.
    First, again, Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban is the Chief 
Scientist for the Food Safety Inspection Service. He has 
experience with the United States Department of Agriculture and 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Esteban was 
trained as a veterinarian in his native Mexico before receiving 
his Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of California, 
Davis. We are so appreciative of your being here and your 
willingness to serve.
    I will now recognize Senator Gillibrand for the 
introduction of our next witness.
    Senator Gillibrand. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I am 
honored to introduce Mr. Vince G. Logan to the Agriculture 
Committee today, as nominee to serve on the Farm Credit 
Administration Board. As a fellow New Yorker, Mr. Logan is a 
member of the Osage Nation and currently serves as Chief 
Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer for the Native 
American Agriculture Fund.
    Educated at Oklahoma State University, the University of 
Oklahoma College of Law, and the School of International Public 
Affairs at Columbia University, Mr. Logan was nominated by 
President Obama and served as the Special Trustee for American 
Indians at the U.S. Department of the Interior. In that role, 
he used his financial and regulatory background to reaffirm the 
position of the office as a leader in Indian trust reform, 
financial education, and government accountability.
    He has worked in New York in both asset management, as an 
investment advisor, and asset-based financing as a lawyer. Mr. 
Logan practiced law in shipping, equipment, and aircraft 
finance. As an investment advisor, he focused on permanent fund 
development, financial education for client, and institutional 
asset management. He was appointed as a director of the Little 
Rock branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and is 
also an Oklahoma State University Foundation Governor.
    In his spare time, Mr. Logan is a national speaker on 
financial empowerment and volunteers at tribal youth events, 
teaching financial skills. He has also mentored numerous young 
professionals, guiding them through their careers in the 
securities industry and law.
    I am proud to welcome Mr. Logan today and I look forward to 
seeing how his financial and regulatory acumen will support the 
integral work of the Farm Credit Administration Board.
    Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. We will now turn 
to Senator Grassley for our final introduction this morning.
    Senator Grassley. First of all, I want everybody on the 
Committee, before I introduce Alexis, to know that I have known 
members of the Taylor clan for at least 52 years----
    Chairwoman Stabenow. My goodness.
    Senator Grassley [continuing]. when an uncle joined me in 
the Iowa legislature. I have been acquainted with a cousin that 
was a political advisor to me, and I have also had a sister of 
Alexis that was a longtime legislative assistant in my office.
    Alexis serves now as Director of the Oregon Department of 
Agriculture, having served since her appointment by Oregon 
Governor Kate Brown in December 2016. Prior to her appointment 
as Director of that office, Ms. Taylor oversaw the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Farm and Foreign Agriculture 
Services. While traveling the world, she worked to open new 
markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. 
agricultural products in the marketplace.
    Before joining the USDA, she worked for several Members of 
Congress, staffing members from Montana and Iowa. She is an 
Iowa native, obviously, moved to Oregon after working 12 years 
in Washington, DC, focused on U.S. agriculture trade policies. 
She is a graduate of Iowa State University, and grew up on her 
family farm near Holy Cross, Iowa, which has been in her family 
for more than 160 years.
    As you know, I have known Alexis for many years, and I 
think very highly of her. I am very pleased that she is 
nominated for this position, and I urge her quick confirmation 
for the reasons as we have been waiting for 20 months to get 
agricultural policy at the head of this Administration. This 
ought to move along very quickly, and it really ought to move 
next week, by U.C.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, Senator Grassley.
    Senator Ernst. Madam Chair?
    Chairwoman Stabenow. You can tell the real secrets, by the 
way, of Alexis and her family when we are offline, the real 
deal.
    Senator Ernst. Madam Chair?
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Please.
    Senator Ernst. May I add?
    Chairwoman Stabenow. You may, absolutely. Senator Ernst.
    Senator Ernst. Thank you. I am also a fan of Alexis Taylor, 
as many of us are in this room, and we do share so many things 
in common, like Senator Grassley outlined. We both grew up on 
our family farms. We both graduated from ``the'' Iowa State 
University.
    Senator Grassley.
    [Inaudible.]
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Ernst. We have got a little Panther-Cyclone rivalry 
going on here.
    We also served in our great United States Army, and I truly 
want to thank you for your commitment not only to our farms but 
commitment to the greater good of our wonderful country. We 
will continue to serve in public service, and you have done 
that for many, many years. Thank you so much for that service.
    I just want to piggyback on what Senator Grassley said, 
that it is incredibly important that have this role filled. We 
have over 85,000 family farms in Iowa, and we are the top 
producer of our Nation's pork, eggs, corn, soybeans, and 
ethanol. Our farmers and our trade partners have waited over 20 
months for the Biden administration to prioritize trade 
challenges and to seek these new opportunities.
    Again, Alexis, we are glad to have you here. You have 
Senator Grassley that has been at the helm here, working with 
your family for many, many, many years, and I am glad to 
welcome you into this role with our Federal Government. Thank 
you so much.
    Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Absolutely. Thank you. You have 100 
percent of the Iowa delegation here supporting you, and I hope 
that next week we can get 100 percent of the Senate. In fact, 
what would be great is to get a U.C., Senator Grassley, on all 
three of these nominees to fill these positions. Hopefully we 
can do that, we can work together to actually get that done 
next week.
    I have two things next that I need to do. First to 
administer an oath, we have to do for all nominees. Please 
stand and raise your right hand, if you each would.
    Do you swear and affirm that the testimony you are about to 
provide is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 
truth, so help you God?
    Dr. Esteban. I do.
    Mr. Logan. I do.
    Ms. Taylor. I do.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. Second, do you agree that 
if confirmed, you will appear before any duly constituted 
committee of Congress, if asked to appear?
    Dr. Esteban. Yes.
    Mr. Logan. Yes.
    Ms. Taylor. Yes.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. We all look 
forward to learning more about your visions and your 
priorities. You will each, as you know, have five minutes for 
testimony. We welcome any other written documents that you 
would like to give the Committee.
    We will begin with Dr. Esteban.

STATEMENT OF JOSE EMILIO ESTEBAN, MVM, MBA, Ph.D., NOMINEE, TO 
       BE UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SAFETY

    Dr. Esteban. Thank you, Senator. It kind of hard to follow 
that introduction for Alexis. If this were a competition I 
would be in trouble. Gladly I am not competing so I am just 
going to go on with my introduction.
    Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and members of 
the Committee, I want to thank you for the opportunity to 
appear before you today, and for your consideration of my 
nomination for Under Secretary for Food Safety at the United 
States Department of Agriculture.
    I want to also thank all those who are responsible for my 
success in life, especially my family and the many colleagues 
whom I have served during my tenure as a Federal employee. A 
special thanks to my wife Mandy, my son Joseph--he is watching 
this from Tokyo--and my daughter Emily. I continue to learn 
every day from them, and I hope to do so for the rest of my 
life. I would also like to thank President Biden for nominating 
me to serve as Under Secretary and to Secretary Vilsack for his 
trust and support.
    When I migrated to the United States in 1985, I would have 
never envisioned the breadth and magnitude of the opportunities 
this country would offer me, opportunities I jumped at and that 
have brought me here today. My mother's cousin, David, opened 
his home to me and sponsored me into the United States. The 
first stop from the airport was the Social Security Office, so 
I could get my tax number and start working. In the ensuing 
nearly 40 years I have worked in tomato fields, in the retail 
industry, I have owned my own marketing business, I put on 
rodeo shows, and while I was doing all that I also earned two 
additional academic degrees.
    For the last 30 years, I have had the privilege to work in 
the Federal Government, first as an epidemic intelligence 
service officer and then a staff epidemiologist at CDC. Then at 
USDA in multiple locations and areas of responsibility, most 
recently as Chief Scientist. I have worked alongside many 
dedicated staff and shared a goal of safeguarding America's 
food supply. I have also traveled the world on behalf of Food 
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), working with local 
people, sharing meals, and exchanging ideas. Because of these 
experiences, I understand how important a role USDA plays in 
the world providing safe and nutritious food, not only for U.S. 
citizens but for global communities.
    I would like to highlight a few priority areas I intend to 
focus on if I am fortunate to be confirmed. First and foremost, 
safe and nutritious food is a right for every American--and I 
emphasize on the words ``every American.'' We all have the 
right to safe food. We have one of the world's safest and 
strongest food safety systems, and I intend to maintain and 
enhance that status.
    Second, our employees are an essential part of our mission. 
We must ensure that they have a safe work environment and we 
afford, to those who seek them, opportunities. I would not be 
here if I had not been given those opportunities.
    Third, we need to engage transparently with both producers 
and consumers, as a team. For every challenge there is a 
solution that provides safe food, a healthy workplace, and 
continued business viability. One need not and should not 
compromise one for the other.
    Fourth and last, we have to work more collaboratively 
across USDA agencies and with other public health partners. 
There is a plethora of opportunities for synergy and 
collaboration within USDA. Together we achieve substantially 
more encompassing goals than by working independently.
    I am excited and eager for this opportunity, and if 
confirmed, to lead USDA's food safety work for the Biden-Harris 
administration and further the Administration's efforts to 
transform America's food system and support more resilient 
local and regional food production, while ensuring access to 
safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities.
    The outpouring of interest USDA has seen from farmers and 
rural communities and businesses, particularly from our small 
to mid-sized meat and poultry processing facilities, as they 
seek ways to build new markets and streams of income has been 
actually inspirational.
    So in closing, I would like to thank President Biden and 
Secretary Vilsack for their support and thank you Chairwoman 
Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and members of the Committee 
for the opportunity to appear here before you today. The 
possibility of serving as the next Under Secretary for Food 
Safety is a huge opportunity for me to pay back to this country 
that has given me so, so, so very much, and I look forward to 
your questions. Thank you.

    [The prepared statement of Dr. Esteban can be found on page 
32 in the appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Well, thank you so much. We are so 
pleased to have you.
    Mr. Logan.

STATEMENT OF VINCENT GARFIELD LOGAN, NOMINEE, TO BE A MEMBER OF 
       THE FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION BOARD, FARM CREDIT 
                         ADMINISTRATION

    Mr. Logan. Yes, I was just thinking, we could have quite a 
college football debate going on right now.
    Thank you, Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and 
distinguished members of the Committee. My name is Vincent 
Logan, and I have the privilege of being nominated by President 
Biden to be on the board of the Farm Credit Administration. It 
is an honor to appear before you today and seek your 
confirmation of my nomination.
    My parents loved this country. Both raised in rural America 
on family farms, both members of the Osage Nation, both served 
in the military during World War II and both are interred at 
Arlington National Cemetery. My father, Oscar Logan Jr., 
enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and fought with the Fifth 
Division in Iwo Jima, where he was critically wounded, for 
which he received the Purple Heart. My mother, Della Morrell 
Logan, served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a nurse 
stationed here in Washington. After the war, they both returned 
to Oklahoma where they met, were married, and raised a family.
    I vividly remember my first visit to this city as a boy. On 
that trip I saw how my parents revered the great monuments and 
institutions of our country, those that we all cherish. I 
recall when we visited the Capitol, we dressed in our Sunday 
best--my mom made sure of that--and we spoke in hushed tones. 
To this day I recall how my mother's eyes welled up when she 
heard the national anthem and saw the American flag.
    My parents believed in service to our communities and to 
our country. They exhibited patriotism and promoted the ideals 
of good citizenry. They instilled these values in me, and it 
was these values that led me to serve our country as Special 
Trustee for American Indians during the Obama Administration, 
and lead me here today.
    Sitting directly behind me here today is my partner, Dr. 
Steven Lieberman, who served as Acting Under Secretary for the 
Veterans Health Administration when COVID ravaged this country. 
Steven worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, literally 
working seven days a week for well over two years. I personally 
witnessed his courageous efforts in service to our veterans and 
VHA staff, leading the VHA through its darkest days. His 
dedication embodies the very essence of public service, always 
putting the needs of others before himself. He is my hero. I 
appreciate Steven's guidance and support, and for being here 
with me today.
    My career in public service began in the Office of the 
Oklahoma Attorney General. I later worked in the Antitrust 
Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, and as 
previously mentioned, as Special Trustee for American Indians 
at the Department of the Interior.
    I spent most of my career in the private sector in New 
York, first as a corporate finance lawyer and then as an 
investment advisor to institutional clients. Since 2019, I have 
been the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer 
with the Native American Agriculture Fund, which is, by the 
way, the largest philanthropic organization focused solely on 
Native American farming and ranching communities.
    The Farm Credit System, established by an act of Congress 
over 100 years ago, has a long history and an inspiring mission 
to provide credit to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agricultural 
cooperatives. Credit is critical to the success of farmers and 
ranchers. Production agriculture is capital intensive and 
heavily reliant on access to competitive credit. The cost of 
land, labor, equipment, and fertilizer is high, requiring both 
long-term and short-term financing.
    In addition to being costly to operate, agricultural 
enterprises also entail considerable risk, thanks to variables 
like weather and market forces. I am very thankful to the men 
and women who, despite the risks, produce the food and fiber we 
depend on to survive.
    Although the Farm Credit System is the largest single 
provider of agricultural credit, it is by no means the only 
one. Many commercial lenders also serve the credit needs of our 
farmers. Farmers and ranchers benefit from these multiple 
sources of financing competing for business because it often 
results in lower interest rates and better terms.
    As a government-sponsored enterprise dedicated to serving 
agriculture, the Farm Credit System's mission is to serve 
agriculture in good times and in bad. When the farm economy 
takes a downturn, farmers and ranchers need Farm Credit to be 
there for them.
    It would be an honor to serve on the board of this agency 
that is responsible for keeping the system safe and sound and 
ensuring it fulfills its important mission, and I believe my 
education, career experience, and expertise, both as an 
attorney and in finance, qualify me for that position.
    Although I left rural Oklahoma as a young man years ago, my 
love for rural America has not waned, and my desire to serve 
and give back is as strong as ever. If this Committee in its 
wisdom confirms my nomination, I will put my expertise and 
passion to work to ensure the success of the Farm Credit System 
and its mission to serve our Nation's farmers and ranchers.
    Thank you, and I look forward to answering your questions.

    [The prepared statement of Mr. Logan can be found on page 
35 in the appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much.
    Ms. Taylor, welcome again.

 STATEMENT OF ALEXIS TAYLOR, NOMINEE, TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF 
     AGRICULTURE FOR TRADE AND FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS

    Ms. Taylor. Thank you. Good morning, Chairwoman Stabenow, 
Ranking Member Boozman and members of this Committee. Thank you 
for having me here today. A special thank you to Senator 
Grassley and Senator Ernst for that warm introduction.
    It is an honor to be nominated by President Biden for the 
position of Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural 
Affairs. I am particularly humbled to be considered for this 
critical role by this Committee, which I hold in such high 
professional regard. I also would like to thank Secretary 
Vilsack for his dedicated leadership of USDA, as well as his 
support and mentorship over the years.
    I would not be here today without the support of my family, 
including my mother, Karol, who is watching at home in Iowa. 
There have been no bigger champions in my life and my career, 
and I am grateful for their unconditional support. I also want 
to thank my sister, Amanda, who is here with me today, and 
brother-in-law, Ryan, who as farmers help to keep me connected 
to the opportunities and challenges faced by producers and our 
agricultural communities every day.
    I am also thankful for the first and most influential 
farmer in my life, my father, Joe. Although he has passed, 
there is not a day that goes by where I do not call upon 
lessons he taught me on the farm from him.
    As Senator Grassley mentioned, my career in agriculture 
began at a very young age, growing up on a farm which has been 
in my family for over 160 years. I learned many things growing 
up on my family's farm, from the hard work and long hours our 
producers put into raising a crop or keeping livestock healthy, 
to the challenges that unpredictable weather and volatile 
markets can bring. One of the most important things that was 
instilled in me as a child was a desire to give back to my 
community.
    That desire drove me to enlist in the U.S. Army Reserves, 
it drove me through eight years of military service, including 
a deployment to Iraq, and it drew me to my career in public 
service, working to advance the interests of the community I 
grew up in, U.S. agriculture.
    While working on Capitol Hill at USDA previously or 
currently at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, some of my 
most meaningful work has been finding solutions to the complex 
challenges our farmers and ranchers face. Throughout my career, 
farmers and ranchers have shared those challenges with me from 
the cab of their pickup on a ranch tour in Montana, while 
walking a wheat field in Oregon, or riding in a combine during 
harvest in Iowa.
    Should I have the honor to be confirmed, I will carry their 
stories with me as I work to advance the U.S. agriculture 
across the globe as I lead the Trade and Foreign Agricultural 
Affairs Mission Area (TFAA) and the dedicated staff at the 
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
    As the diplomatic and humanitarian crisis has unfolded in 
Ukraine, the capacity-building and food security programs at 
USDA will be even more critical to helping the world navigate a 
growing global food security crisis.
    The United States plays a critical role in combating food 
insecurity and working to protect the most vulnerable. I am 
proud of this part of the TFAA and FAS mission and will be 
committed to this work, should I have the privilege to serve.
    At the same time, our producers here at home are 
experiencing unprecedented challenges. From supply chain 
disruptions impacting not only our food and agricultural 
exports but critical imports, to the impacts of inflation, 
these challenges are being felt directly by producers across 
the country. Ensuring strong export markets is critical to 
building resiliency for our agriculture sector.
    Expanding and maintaining diversified market opportunities, 
rebuilding strong and reliable trading relationships, and 
holding our trading partners accountable is essential. Equally 
as important is removing trade barriers and working to ensure 
our trading partners have transparent, science-based regulatory 
requirements which are predictable for our exporters.
    As I have seen from my current position at ODA, the Biden-
Harris administration have made it clear that the country's 
trade agenda is focused on growing the economy and creating 
trade policy where agriculture is at the table. Should I be 
confirmed, I am eager to join in that effort, in coordination 
with USTR and other Federal agencies and Congress, to work to 
expand and maintain that diversified market access for U.S. 
producers and exporters, and help them connect with customers 
around the world.
    Agriculture is not just what I do, but it is very much who 
I am. Working to support farmers and ranchers across the 
country is something I have dedicated my career to. Should I 
have the honor to be confirmed as Under Secretary for Trade and 
Foreign Agricultural Affairs, I am committed to working to 
ensure the interests of U.S. agriculture is being represented 
here at home and around the globe.
    Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, thank you for 
the time, and I look forward to any questions that members of 
the Committee may have.

    [The prepared statement of Ms. Taylor can be found on page 
37 in the appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, and we will now 
move to questions. First, Ms. Taylor, you and I have talked 
about the fact that fruit and vegetable growers in Michigan, 
and I am sure in other places around the country, continue to 
face challenge from subsidized imports that are undercutting 
our markets. This is really a challenge, I think, and a threat 
to our domestic food supply chain. It is very serious.
    As Under Secretary for Trade, how will you work with other 
USDA agencies, others in the Biden administration to address 
this critical issue?
    Ms. Taylor. Chairwoman Stabenow, thank you for that very 
important question. Obviously, being the director of a State 
Department of Agriculture in Oregon, which is also a specialty 
crop State, it is a concern I hear often from many in our 
specialty crop sector.
    I think the approach is multi-pronged. I think, first and 
foremost, our producers are the most innovative in the world, 
so continuing to advocate for research, into innovation and 
technology advancements so they can remain competitive is 
extremely important.
    I think continuing to support the work that you have really 
led on around building strong local and regional markets for 
our local producers. I think one of the things that the 
pandemic really, a positive that came out of it, is consumers, 
for the first time, are really interested in where their food 
comes from, and who is raising their food. I think we have an 
opportunity, as agriculture, to capitalize on that. I think 
continuing to expand that work around local and regional food 
systems is also extremely critical.
    I think also working with our regulators to ensure that in 
those markets that are looking to export their products to the 
United States that our SPS health and safety standards and 
regulations are being followed and enforced.
    Then finally, I think really--and this is the part where I 
think falls directly under my purview--is expanding markets for 
our specialty crop producers so they have strong, diverse 
export markets all over the world where they are also not 
facing unjustified SPS barriers and can really compete in those 
marketplaces.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, and of course, 
trade enforcement is critical and markets are critical, and so 
we look forward to working with you on all of those issues that 
impact all of our farmers and communities.
    Let me move to Dr. Esteban. Food safety, obviously, in your 
role you will play a really important role in public health, 
and you talked about coordination with other agencies. That is 
such an important thing, with the FDA, EPA and CDC, 
communicating with stakeholders, that are food and consumer 
safety groups, worker safety groups, livestock industry, and so 
on.
    Could you talk more about how you would collaborate with 
other agencies and bring in stakeholders as you are making 
decisions?
    Dr. Esteban. Thank you very much for that question. It is 
very important that we realize that we achieve a lot more by 
working together rather than by working independently. 
Throughout my career I have had the opportunity, when I was at 
CDC, to work with FDA and USDA, and now at USDA I work across 
all the agencies in USDA on specific topics. It is so, so 
positive when we get together and work together on something.
    The challenges that we face today in food safety are not 
simple. They are actually very, very complex. We need to 
include everybody in this effort, whether it is local 
producers, whether it is the national distribution chains, 
whether it is for research, or whether it is for export. I 
think everything needs to be taken into account, with a goal to 
produce safe food.
    If I were to be confirmed, I would do what I have done for 
the last 30 years, which is build on those relationships, with 
FDA, with EPA, and all the other agencies. I have now had 
experiences with a lot of very good people in leadership 
positions in those agencies, so we have a very strong 
relationship. We just need to have a single focus. In my 
opinion, there is no more important single focus other than 
food safety, public health.
    I think that by building those coalitions we can achieve 
anything we want.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Mr. Logan, when 
we did our initial farm bill hearings this year, both in 
Michigan and Arkansas, we heard a lot about the importance of 
access to credit for beginning farmers. We want more people 
going into agriculture.
    How can the Farm Credit System further serve young people, 
beginning farmers, small farmers so that we create more 
opportunities for people that want to get into agriculture?
    Mr. Logan. Yes. Thank you for that question, Senator. You 
know, I have spent a lot of my career working with young 
people. I know the future lies with young people and getting 
young people into various industries, and that same holds true 
for agriculture. I understand the challenges that they have, 
and I work with an organization that has a lot of young people 
there, and they all have an agriculture background. It is very 
difficult.
    I will say, you know, my background is in institutional 
advisory and institutional practices, and I was, quite frankly, 
not able to look under the hood yet at the FCA. I understand 
that all institutions in the system have young, beginning, and 
small farmers plans. As a regulator, though, I look forward to 
reviewing these plans, with my colleagues on the board.
    Another piece to that is that I have to ensure that the 
system holds adequate capital for these young, beginning, and 
small farmers, and that that is within the mission of the FCA.
    I am certainly open to meeting anyone and to hearing ideas, 
and I am a strong believer in dialog, and I am willing to do 
that. But certainly, you know, my mission is to make sure that 
the system is safe and sound and that credit is available, and 
that it is a dependable source of credit.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Well, thank you very much. Senator 
Boozman.
    Senator Boozman. Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Taylor, I 
enjoyed our visit earlier yesterday and talking about several 
issues, including holding India accountable at the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) for their illegal rice and wheat subsidies, 
and I really look forward to working with that. That is such an 
important issue.
    The role of the Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs was created to really elevate the 
Department of Agriculture's presence in such an important 
effort. It is our hope that as the top trade voice at USDA you 
will advise the U.S. Trade Rep, the Department of Commerce, and 
others on the impacts of various issues and market access needs 
of farmers and agricultural stakeholders directly.
    How will you work with the many other agencies that hold 
responsibilities over U.S. trade functions?
    Ms. Taylor. Senator Boozman, thank you for that question. I 
think it is a very important one.
    We often talk about trading relationships, and I think that 
is intentional. Trade is still very much about relationships, 
and one of the things I am very interested in doing is, should 
I have the privilege to be confirmed, building those 
relationships with sister agencies at USTR, at the Department 
of Commerce, and engaging about the priorities for U.S. 
agriculture. I hope not to just have them sitting at the table, 
but really be driving the policy that they need to see from the 
Biden-Harris administration to deliver meaningful market access 
and competitive markets.
    I think investing in those relationships will be key, and 
something I am certainly committed to, should I have the 
privilege to serve.
    Senator Boozman. Very good. Thank you.
    Dr. Esteban, USDA recently announced action to declare 
salmonella an adulterant in stuffed poultry products while also 
announcing plans to solicit comments on the appropriate 
salmonella standard in all poultry, ranging from zero tolerance 
to focusing on specific serotypes.
    Food safety is an absolutely vital mission in USDA. Dr. 
Esteban, if confirmed as Under Secretary, how would you 
approach this endeavor, taking into mind the numerous factors 
that must be weighed, including prevalence, risk, food waste, 
sustainability, and food insecurity?
    Dr. Esteban. Senator, thank you for asking me that question 
because I am extremely passionate about the topic of 
salmonella. I mean, as a public health professional for over 30 
years, first at CDC, seeing the outcome of salmonellosis, and 
not USDA, on the regulatory side, there is so much more we 
could do.
    I mean, we have made tremendous progress in decreasing the 
contamination level of the product over the course of the last 
20 years, but we have not been able to impact much illness. 
There are about 1.3 million Americans that get sick with 
salmonella every year, and we have the ability and opportunity 
to do a lot better.
    Now if it were a simple answer we would have already done 
it, right? This has got to be a very complex issue, and I think 
that what the agency is doing with this announcement of 
considering salmonella as an adulterant in this one specific 
commodity, at a very, very low level, is sending a message that 
we are serious about salmonella.
    That said, it is important as we move forward we take into 
account not only the outcome of it but how we get there. How we 
get there is by actually including industry, including 
consumers, including academia, including all the Federal 
partners that we have to work together to create a framework. I 
expect that over the next few weeks or months the agency will 
come up with a framework that actually encompasses, not just 
focused on the last point of the chain, which is at the 
consumer level, but from the beginning.
    It is my expectation that we will address the quality of 
product that has to be presented for slaughter, control during 
the slaughter process and with the processing of the food, as 
well as the final product. However that is not enough. We need 
to continue to work with consumers, about the proper handling, 
storage, and preparing of that food.
    The answer to some of the question is going to be one that 
is going to be bring everybody together. It is a complex 
answer, but we will certainly make progress.
    Senator Boozman. Well, we appreciate that, and I know that 
you will use science and good common sense along with that. 
Salmonella is difficult.
    Mr. Logan, we appreciate you being here. I know the Osage 
Nation is very proud of you. We appreciate also your 
relationship to Little Rock.
    Inflation and rising input costs are having an immense 
impact on farmers and ranchers. Inflation-adjusted net farm 
income, a broad measure of farm profitability, is projected to 
fall by nearly $1 billion, or 1 percent, from 2021, to $148 
billion. This is despite record-high cash receipts from the 
sales of crops and livestock.
    How do you see the role of the Farm Credit Administration, 
and more broadly the Farm Credit System supporting farmers and 
ranchers in times of uncertainty? You know, when they showed 
me, as we were getting things together yesterday, I was really 
shocked at the indebtedness. You know, I knew that the latest 
numbers really are shocking with the high interest rates and 
things, how much farm families, farmers are having to indebt 
themselves at a record high pace. Again, what are we going to 
be doing?
    Mr. Logan. Thank you for that question, Senator. A few 
quick thoughts and then I will get to the meat of it. I was 
contacted by the White House about this position a year ago 
this week, and the outlook for the economy and inflation and 
productivity looked vastly different than it does right now. 
There really is not anyone that has a crystal ball that can 
predict what it is going to look like next October.
    I listened to Chair Powell's comments yesterday. We are, 
you know, certainly in a period of uncertain times, and that is 
affecting everyone, and farmers and ranchers that produce our 
food and feed the world, they all see this. I think about what 
the system can do, as you asked.
    Well, the first and foremost is we have to ensure that the 
system is safe and sound, that credit is available, and that it 
is well capitalized for creditworthy borrowers.
    There is some limited investment authority, but overall, 
for young and beginning and small farmers who are just critical 
to the future of agriculture and to this country, you know, I 
would be happy to speak to anyone, to you or your staff, or any 
of the other Senators about perhaps expanded authorities, new 
ways of thinking.
    You know, as a regulator I am going to ensure that we stay 
within the law and the given regulations right now, but that 
does not say that when things happen and there are global 
issues and global problems, you know, that we do not consider 
these things and take a look and re-examine what we have.
    Senator Boozman. Well, thank you very much, and I yield 
back, Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, Senator Boozman.
    I believe we have Senator Klobuchar with us on WebEx. Good 
morning.
    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. Thank you very much to both 
of you for this good hearing, and all the nominees.
    Minnesota ranks in the top 10 nationally in the number of 
dairy cows and milk produced. We have more than 3,000 dairy 
farms across Minnesota that depend on foreign markets. We also 
are one of the biggest ag exporters overall.
    Ms. Taylor, as Under Secretary, how will you promote 
additional foreign market access for dairy producers and other 
ag exporters, particular in Asia?
    Ms. Taylor. Senator Klobuchar, thank you for that question. 
Having grown up in Iowa, in the dairy part of the State, many 
of my friends and neighbors grew up on dairy farms and were 
dairy men and women, and I know how important international 
export markets are increasingly becoming to them.
    Should I have the privilege to be confirmed, I am very 
interested in engaging within in the Administration on their 
trade priorities, in particular, the Indo-Pacific Economic 
Framework. I think there are huge opportunities for our 
agriculture sector in this part of the world. They have a fast-
growing middle class, there is a lot of purchasing power that 
is coming online, and they have generally young populations. I 
am thinking about countries like Vietnam. The ability to 
capitalize and make consumers now, you can build lifelong 
consumers. I am very interested in engaging with dairy 
producers in your State on their priorities and bringing that 
to the table.
    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Thank you. One really fast answer, 
if you could. I applaud the U.S. for winning the USMCA dispute 
settlement panel earlier this year over Canada's rate quotas. 
It sent a strong message to our trading partners in initiating 
a second panel.
    Ms. Taylor, will you commit to working with your colleagues 
as USTR in supporting the panel proceedings and using 
enforcement mechanisms? Just yes or no is fine.
    Ms. Taylor. Yes, Senator. Absolutely. Thank you.
    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Excellent.
    Animal diseases is for you, Dr. Esteban. In the last farm 
bill I worked the Chair and Ranking Member and most 
significantly with my colleague, Senator Cornyn, to ensure that 
USDA has the capacity to prevent, monitor, and rapidly respond 
to outbreaks, whether it is any kind of animal disease, 
including avian flu, which we have had a recent breakout of.
    How would you ensure that FSIS is working in a 
collaborative manner with other USDA mission areas like Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Services?
    Dr. Esteban. Thank you, Senator. Well, as a veterinarian 
and one that has actually had the opportunity to deal with some 
of these diseases firsthand there is no better opportunity for 
us to address outbreaks before they become outbreaks, when they 
just are starting, by working together with our APHIS 
colleagues.
    We are, every day, at the slaughter plants, at the 
processing establishments. Our veterinarians are in the field. 
Of our 8,800 employees, about 7,700 of them are in the field. 
We have firsthand experience and observation by doing 
antemortem and postmortem inspection of all its animals to 
identify when it first happens and before it becomes a big 
issue.
    If I have the honor of being confirmed, I would definitely 
reach out to my colleagues in APHIS and see how we can 
strengthen the already strong relationships and actually 
improve on our surveillance mechanisms.
    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. One other thing that you will 
be involved in is small and medium-sized meat processors. I 
think you know the problems we had during the pandemic with our 
supply chain. The Administration has been working on this. We 
have been working at it on the Committee to make sure that 
there are competitive alternatives available. What steps will 
you take to ensure that the needs of small and mid-sized meat 
processors are met?
    Dr. Esteban. Thank you, Senator. Yes, this Administration 
has been very strong in trying to develop growth for the small 
and medium-sized farmers. As I said before, FSIS needs to be 
present at all those processing establishments. This is an 
opportunity for us to work with our colleagues in the rest of 
USDA in trying to transfer knowledge, transfer technology, have 
guidelines, and have an open-door policy so anything that they 
have, that they need to actually get up to be competitive, that 
we are there for them.
    Our goal is to basically provide anything they would need 
to support the investment the U.S. is making in this part of 
the market, to make sure that they are competitive.
    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. I am not going to ask my 
other question. I will put one on the record. I did want to 
make sure that you knew, Dr. Esteban, that early on in the 
Senate I worked really hard on getting some centers of 
excellence in terms of being able to trace foodborne illnesses. 
The University of Minnesota was one of those.
    We are very, very proud of the work that we did and we are 
doing in that area. We have had a number of deaths across the 
country, whether it is from peanut butter. We had a woman die 
in our State. There were prosecutions of that manufacturing 
facility afterwards. Someone went to prison. We also had other 
things that were more innocent that happened, and it is really 
important to stop these in their tracks when we find them. I 
appreciate your work on food safety. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Ernst.
    Senator Ernst. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, and we will 
start with you, Ms. Taylor. Again, thank you so much for being 
here today, and I am very happy for your nomination, and the 
others as well. Thank you very much for joining us.
    I am concerned that the Biden administration is foregoing 
America's trade and strategic leadership by failing to 
aggressively pursue a number of commitments, whether it is 
through the Indo-Pacific economic framework or through the 
decision not to go after comprehensive free trade agreements. 
The lack of ambitious market-opening initiatives not only 
disadvantages our U.S. workers, our farmers, ranchers, and 
businesses, but it also jeopardizes America's competitiveness 
and security in the long term.
    Later today I intend to introduce a bipartisan bill with 
Senators Tina Smith and Angus King to increase support for 
market access program and foreign market development. While 
these do not necessarily fall under your mission area at the 
USDA, can you please detail what would you do, should you be 
confirmed, to advance U.S. agricultural exports, and how will 
you work with Ambassador Tai and others in the Administration 
to make sure that we do focus on ag trade barriers, and 
especially in the area of the Indo-Pacific?
    Ms. Taylor. Senator Ernst, thank you for that important 
question. I will start maybe with the MAP and FMD funding. 
Those are critical tools that Congress has given to USDA to 
administer for our exporters. The Oregon Department of 
Agriculture today actually accesses some of those dollars and 
conducts international activities to support Western States' 
companies.
    Exporting to other countries is complicated. There are 
language barriers. There are cultural differences. There are 
confusing SPS requirements. Those tools are so vital for our 
exporters to get into that market and build those trading 
relationships, which I talked about.
    I think, and a priority of mine should I be confirmed, I am 
really interested in engaging within the Administration to 
really have our producers, our farmers and ranchers, help drive 
our trade priorities. As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of 
excitement, I think, and opportunity in the Indo-Pacific 
region, and I am interested in engaging on what meaningful 
market access might look like there, enforceable standards for 
our agricultural community that then they can rely on, and 
ensuring then that we are enforcing those standards when those 
commitments are not being lived up to, and really addressing 
non-tariff barrier, because those oftentimes can get thrown up 
in unjustified ways for our agricultural exports, making sure 
that those are science-based, those are clear and predictable.
    And so, I am very committed and interested, should I have 
the privilege to serve, and really focusing some of my time 
within the Administration and colleagues at USTR.
    Senator Ernst. Wonderful. I am glad you bring up science-
based as well. As you hopefully will work with Ambassador Tai 
and others in the Administration we do need to ensure, through 
your role as well, that science-based regulatory requirements 
are enforced--and I am glad you bring that up--especially when 
it comes to GMO corn and glyphosate trade, and in particular 
with Mexico. Can you maybe address how we turn then to this 
hemisphere and address those issues with Mexico?
    Ms. Taylor. Yes. Thank you for that question, Senator 
Ernst. Kind of taking a step back from that discrete issue for 
a moment, we have huge challenges we are experiencing globally. 
The war in Ukraine and the global food insecurity crisis, that 
is really exacerbating, coming off the heels of the global 
pandemic. Climate change and the impacts to production. I see 
it in Oregon. I know your farmers in Iowa have experienced, as 
we are seeing changes and challenges with production based upon 
that all over the world.
    We are going to need advancements in science and technology 
globally to address those challenges and continue to feed a 
growing world population. I think that is the fundamental 
principle to work from.
    Should I be confirmed, I am very interested I engaging 
within the Administration on what is going on in Mexico around 
biotechnology, and my counterparts in Mexico to ensure that we 
are advancing science-based decisionmaking around the use of 
these critical tools that are necessary to meet those global 
challenges.
    Senator Ernst. Excellent, and I really appreciate your 
answer, science-based as always, and I look forward to 
supporting your confirmation. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Next we will have 
Senator Smith, and then Senator Fischer.
    Senator Smith. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member, 
and thank you to all of our nominees for being here today. 
Thank you for your willingness to serve, and I look forward to 
supporting you.
    I want to start out with a question that I almost always 
start out with. Minnesota has a very diverse farm economy, 
including many Hmong native, Latino, Somali, and Black farmers, 
who play a really integral role in the farm economy in 
Minnesota, as well as in our small business sector. Yet I often 
hear that the USDA does not do enough to connect with these 
farmers of color and communities of color, generally.
    I always ask this question, which is what can the USDA do, 
what should the USDA be doing, internally and externally, to 
remove barriers facing farmers of color as well as business 
owners of color? Could all of you just address that briefly?
    Ms. Taylor. I will go up first, Senator Smith. Thank you 
for that really important question.
    In Oregon, at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, we have 
been investing a lot of our time in this space--how do we reach 
our producers of color? One of the things we have really 
discovered is there has to be an intentionality behind it. One 
example. We administer a small equipment and infrastructure 
grant program for producers who want to access the Oregon farm-
to-school program. We realized there is also small Somali 
agricultural community.
    What our staff decided to do one time on the announcement 
is actually translate it for them. What we heard from community 
leaders was they had seen the grant before, they never felt 
like it was for them, and they put in an application because we 
had translated it. I think that intentional approach and 
engagement with those community leaders is so critical, and 
should I be confirmed I am very interested in bringing that 
intentionality to the programs at the Foreign Agricultural 
Service.
    Senator Smith. Thank you. Would the other panelists please 
comment?
    Dr. Esteban. Thank you, Senator. You know, working with the 
States has been one of those things that I have had more fun 
with than ever in my career. When I was at CDC I spent a lot of 
time in the States, especially in Minnesota. They had the best 
group of people working over there on food safety and outbreak 
control.
    You are right. I think that the efforts that we do locally 
are going to be reflecting what happens in the Nation.
    What I would do, if I were to have the honor of being 
confirmed, is I would actually try to take all those things 
that we have learned at the State level or at the Federal level 
and bring it to the local level. If that includes translation 
of materials, making it available, hands-on training, having 
open houses, all those things are tools, that the closer we get 
to that community the more effective we are with those 
messages.
    The bottom line should be the food should be safe. By 
getting to them, they will learn, and there will be a food 
culture, and that will evolve into a much larger productivity 
cycle.
    Senator Smith. Thank you. Mr. Logan?
    Mr. Logan. Yes, Senator. Thank you for that question. If I 
have the honor of being confirmed to this position with the FCA 
I will look at various ways of addressing people who are 
underserved, of course. I am Native American. I know the 
struggle that tribal and individual Native American farmers and 
ranchers have and the access to capital. I am going to ensure 
that the system is safe and sound, but it also has to be 
equitable, and I think we all agree on that, for the strength 
of the country and for the strength of feeding people.
    USDA aside, I will personally work with anyone, if I am 
confirmed, on new ideas for addressing farmers of color, and in 
particular, of course, with the community that I know well, 
Native American.
    Senator Smith. Thank you very much.
    Dr. Esteban, I am very supportive of the Biden 
administration's actions and this Congress' actions to increase 
investment in support for small meat and poultry processing, 
and the concerns that we have about the intense consolidation 
in the processing sector, and what the implications for that 
across the whole range of areas, including food safety.
    I want to just come to the question specifically of 
expanding access to food processing for tribal governments. 
This is an area of real interest for Minnesota's sovereign 
tribal nations. Dr. Esteban, the Food Safety Inspection Service 
has broad discretion here to work with processing plants of all 
sizes. Can you commit to me that, if confirmed, you would work 
with tribal governments through the process of assisting them 
as they set up and operate and inspect their own meat 
processing facilities?
    Dr. Esteban. Thank you, Senator, and I think what you just 
described is actually the way FSIS already works. We are very 
committed to helping those small and medium-sized plants to 
buildup. There is no reason that the size should matter in how 
we treat them, whether they are a small or large producers. 
They are as important because they are contributing to the 
local economy.
    I will commit to you that the FSIS will work, making no 
difference regardless of size, on how we treat any of the 
stakeholders. The food should be safe, the employees should be 
safe, and the business should be viable.
    Senator Smith. Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. Senator Fischer.
    Senator Fischer. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Ms. Taylor, it was nice to meet with you yesterday, and I 
appreciated the conversation we had about expanding trade, 
getting into trade agreements, how important the export market 
is to American agriculture. We discussed the Indo-Pacific 
region. We also talked about issues that affect Nebraska corn 
growers, specifically to Mexico. When you look at the amount of 
white corn that Nebraska exports, it is half of the white corn 
in the United States.
    Mexico has been a top destination for Nebraska's corn, 
including white corn, but I have deep concerns over Mexico's 
policy on ag biotechnology. They are set to ban biotech corn as 
soon as January 2024, and this policy is definitely out of step 
with the commitments that were put in the USMCA. If left 
unaddressed, these policies and processes that are related to 
ag biotech will harm economies on both side of the U.S.-Mexico 
border.
    We have heard there have been some good conversations with 
the Mexican officials, but we have not seen an actions from 
that. I would ask you, if confirmed, will you work with your 
USTR counterparts to enforce the USMCA's biotechnology 
provisions, and if necessary, to advocate for the United States 
to take enforcement action?
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you, Senator Fischer, and I also enjoyed 
our conversation yesterday, so thank you for the time.
    I think the underlying point here is about using science to 
make informed regulatory decisions. That is how we do it in the 
United States. That is our expectation of our trading partners 
around the world. Should I be confirmed, I think this is an 
issue I would like to look at further, certainly engage within 
the Administration, and engage with counterparts in Mexico on 
this important topic.
    As I mentioned earlier, we face huge global challenges 
while we are trying to increase production, to feed a growing 
world population, with some pretty big challenges that are 
impacting production today.
    Senator Fischer. If our trade agreements are not being met, 
if provisions are being violated--you know, and that is 
specific to the USMCA--conversations are good. I hope we can 
continue to have conversations with the Mexican government. 
They have duties. They have responsibilities to those 
agreements. Will you push them and our Administration to make 
sure that they meet them?
    Ms. Taylor. Senator, I think fundamentally enforcement of 
commitments that are made to U.S. producers, to the U.S., is 
critical to trade policy that works for our farmers. This is an 
issue, in particular, with Mexico, on biotechnology of corn 
that I want to look into further, should I have the privilege 
to be confirmed, and I certainly am committed to working with 
you and your office on this question.
    Senator Fischer. Thank you. Dr. Esteban, BSE is more 
commonly known as mad cow disease, and it can certainly upend 
any domestic markets and also cause disruptions in our 
international trade when it is found in the country's beef 
supply. World Organization for Animal Health requires any BSE 
infections to be reported within 24 hours, but last June, when 
we saw atypical BSE found in two Brazil beef-packing plants, 
Brazil did not report that until September.
    After it was finally reported there were several industry 
groups that called on the USDA to halt imports from Brazil for 
their beef into the United States until the agency had 
conducted their own assessment of Brazil's processes that were 
used to assure food safety.
    Are you aware, sir, of any efforts by the USDA to conduct 
their own assessment of Brazil's food safety standards?
    Dr. Esteban. Senator, thank you for that question. I am 
very familiar with BSE. I have actually seen cases of BSE, so I 
know what it can cause and the damage it can cause to industry. 
I am not familiar, or I cannot answer specifically at this 
point the question of whether we are doing some active 
surveillance. If I were to be confirmed, I would look to the 
staff that is working on this and ask that specific question.
    I do know, and I can share with you that we have a very, 
very unique equivalency system established for importing beef, 
and that requires for us to do audits onsite of countries that 
we import from. We follow all those regulations and rules 
before we actually allow imported food into this country.
    That is what I can say for now, and I would look further, 
if I were to be confirmed, I would followup with your staff and 
look further into that detail.
    Senator Fischer. Yes, that would be great because when we 
are dealing with other countries who are not following the 
rules, and you are looking at a situation with possible BSE 
coming into the United States, think of the hardship on 
producers but also the huge economic impact on the United 
States' economy if we would have to shut down. Thank you, sir.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator 
Tuberville.
    Senator Tuberville. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank 
you all for being here today, and congratulations on your 
nominations and your sacrifice for doing what you are doing, 
because it is a sacrifice.
    I would like to say first, you know, I am from a State of 
60 percent agriculture, Alabama, as a lot of States are, 
especially in the South. We are struggling. We are losing 
family farms almost weekly. I am concerned about that. It is 
getting worse and worse, you know, with the EPA, the climate 
change activists, identity policies, and all the politics that 
are throwing on our farmers, they just want to raise food for 
our country.
    Sooner or later, as we noticed with this pandemic, we are 
probably going to have to be self-sufficient. Corporations do a 
great job, but the heart and soul of our country is our family 
farms, the heartbeat. I mean, that is what it is all about. We 
are losing, and I would hope all three of you would challenge 
and make sure that we stand up for our farmers, in every State, 
all over this country, because they are struggling.
    I get calls weekly about ``we are not going to make it.'' 
The price of fuel, people telling them what they can do, cannot 
do, that they have done for years, and our kids, would you want 
your kids to get in this business if you had been in a family 
farm for years, and it has been passed down but their kids 
cannot make a living. I mean, it is really sad.
    I will get off my soapbox, but I just hope all of three of 
you, in your purview, you just stand up for them. Stand up for 
our family farms, and hopefully we can get through this tough 
time, because times are going to get tougher, as we all know, 
especially with our food, water, and our energy supply.
    Mr. Logan, your position is responsible for maintaining 
safe, sound, and dependable sources of credit for eligible 
farmers. How do you believe your prior position has prepared 
you for this?
    Mr. Logan. Thank you for that question, Senator. You know, 
I come from a legal perspective, of course, corporate legal, 
but in credit. When I moved into the asset side of the balance 
sheet into asset management I realized that if you are an 
investor at the level that I was, particularly when I was a 
Federal official, we had an account of $5.4 billion, you have 
an obligation, you have protocols to stick with the law and the 
regulations and to follow the regulations. My personal 
experience as an institutional advisor, I can tell you that we 
do not chase returns. If the market is down 1 day we do not 
change everything. We stay within our policies.
    I actually speak on this topic. I call it the Five P's--
principles, what are mission procedures, your protocols, 
policies. You have given me the last one, the posture. We stand 
up for the farmers and ranchers. That is the fifth P, is what 
posture, if I am confirmed to this position, that I will take. 
I will stand up for the farmers and ranchers.
    Yes, FCA is a huge system, and yes, it is very expensive 
out there, and with inflation it is a very complex issue. I 
will do what I can do if I am confirmed to this position.
    Senator Tuberville. Do you have any priorities in the next 
farm bill that you have looked at? Any concerns?
    Mr. Logan. We did not go into the farm bill as much, but I 
will tell you one thing. My career is about young people, and 
the young people, the future of agriculture, with the YBS 
programs at FCA, I will focus on that if I am confirmed to this 
position. We have to help young people, and beginning farmers, 
and small farmers. That is where I will personally focus on. 
The system, they need to have credit available for them, so 
that is my main job right there, to make sure the system is, as 
you said, safe and sound.
    Senator Tuberville. Right. Being that you went to Oklahoma 
State in Oklahoma, you have a tough time during a backyard 
brawl. What do you do--hide at home?
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Tuberville. Yes, Okay. I understand.
    I have got a few other questions for the record, Madam 
Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Absolutely. Yes, thank you, Senator. 
Next we have Senator Lujan, and then Senator Hyde-Smith.
    Senator Lujan. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank 
you to both you and the Ranking Member for bringing us together 
today and for this conversation, for each and every one of you, 
for accepting the willingness to be before this Committee, but 
accepting the responsibility, if confirmed, that you will 
embark on for the good of the country. I thank you very, very 
much.
    Now from a specialty crop perspective--and I appreciate the 
questions the Chair has already engaged in this space--New 
Mexico prides itself on being a national leader for many crops. 
One of them that everyone thinks of when they look at New 
Mexico is chile--and you can remind my brothers and sisters 
from Colorado that I said that--and nuts, which often surprise 
many when I am visiting with them about our-production, whether 
it is pistachios, but the conversation I want to have with you 
is around pecans.
    Crops like pecans, Ms. Taylor, have historically struggled 
to gain international market access and unfair import tariffs 
that similar crops just do not have. Now these tariffs 
undermine our ability to diversify export markets and create 
uncertainty for farmers back home who want to be able to grow a 
financially viable crop.
    If confirmed, how do you plan to promote and increase 
export market access for specialty crop products, and if you 
are able to touch on pecans specifically?
    Ms. Taylor. Senator, thank you for that question. Having 
worked in Oregon for the past five and a half years, Oregon is 
also a specialty crop State. I work closely with our various 
sectors to ensure that they have the promotional opportunities 
to highlight their products in international markets, whether 
that be through the various marketing assistance programs that 
we are able to access via USDA today, but also work to ensure 
that their products have a level playing field, that they are 
following science-based decisions on SPS health and safety 
import requirements.
    I am very engaged, should I be confirmed, of looking at the 
specialty crop sector for pecan producers in your State and 
where are their top markets. I would like to understand that. 
What are some of the current hurdles and challenges that they 
are experiencing, and how can we pull the tools that we have at 
USDA and within the U.S. Government to help them expand into 
those markets.
    Senator Lujan. I appreciate, and working with our 
colleagues here to makes sure they have had a chance to have 
their palate excited by our chile and our pecans and our nuts 
as well. You all will fall in love with it.
    The next question, Senator Tuberville touched on this, and 
Mr. Logan, you responded, around the younger farmers, the 
challenges inherently in there. As we know, many of our farmers 
and ranchers are aging, and there are challenges generationally 
throughout the United States. We are experiencing this in New 
Mexico.
    According to the last USDA agriculture census, 30 percent 
of New Mexico's farmers and ranchers identify as Hispanic or 
Latino, 21 percent identify as American Indian. Diversity 
matters to me as well, and as I have always said, diversity is 
our strength but we are also seeing a decline in diversity 
within production as well.
    As a Farm Credit Administration board member, how will you 
work to increase credit opportunities for historically 
underserved communities?
    Mr. Logan. Thank you for that question, Senator. With my 
work with the Native American Agriculture Fund I can tell you 
that we serve nationwide native communities, in particular the 
Pueblo communities. We work with them. We understand the 
importance of diversity, as you said, and we try to think of 
different ways, new solutions, different ways of viewing things 
to get capital out to farmers and ranchers, and in particular, 
to work with young people.
    I will say that my personal/professional work has been in 
financial education and investment education. If I am confirmed 
in this position, I believe there is a need for credit 
education. To become creditworthy is critical. It is critical, 
and it is very difficult, actually, for young people to 
understand all the pieces of credit. The entire system is 
premised upon working with creditworthy borrowers.
    You know, like I said, I did not look under the hood for 
the FCA yet, but I understand that there are ways of working 
with young borrowers, and there are programs, and I have got to 
make sure that they are being followed, the programs are being 
followed, and doing what they promised to do.
    My personal view is that it is credit and understanding how 
credit works, you know, it is just critical for everyone right 
now, and in particular for borrowers of color.
    Senator Lujan. I appreciate that. Chair Stabenow, as I see 
my time has expired, I do have some questions for Dr. Esteban. 
I will submit them into the record. It is around Country of 
Origin Labeling, ``Product of the USA'' labeling, things of 
that nature. My question stems from if I go buy an avocado I 
know where it comes from. I know where it was produced. Not 
always true with beef.
    I will submit those into the record, but I wanted to say 
thank you again for being here, and I look forward to following 
up. Thank you, Chair Stabenow.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you so much, and important 
questions to followup on. Thank you so much.
    Next we have Senator Hyde-Smith, and then I believe Senator 
Braun will go next. Thank you.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking 
Member Boozman, for holding this meeting, and thank you to all 
three of you for being willing to step up and offer yourselves 
in these positions. I have been impressed with what I have 
heard today.
    My question is for Ms. Taylor. First of all, I want to say 
how I admire you, and that we have been on a trade mission 
together and you were a true leader, and I was very impressed 
by that.
    One of the things I want to talk about with Mississippi is 
we are proud to be one of the top rice producers in the entire 
country. Rice production in the Southeast generates hundreds of 
millions in economic output annually and helps put affordable 
food on our plates, both at home and abroad.
    The producers in Mississippi and across the country 
continue to operate at a disadvantage to major competitors like 
India, which over-subsidizes their farmers and violate world 
trade organization obligations.
    If confirmed as Under Secretary, will you help lead the 
charge at USDA and work closely with the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative to ensure that our domestic 
producers operate on a level playing field with foreign 
producers? I am not asking for anything else, just what is 
level. If confirmed, what are your plans toward securing new 
trade deals and expanding markets overseas, and will you work 
with both the USDA Foreign Agriculture Services and U.S. Codex 
Office with your jurisdiction to ensure that science-based 
policies remain the backbone of our international trade 
institutions?
    I know that was a lot in one, but I know you can handle it 
too.
    Ms. Taylor. Well, thank you for those kind words, Senator 
Hyde-Smith. I also enjoyed our time in Hong Kong and Shanghai 
when we went on that trade mission.
    I think first, one of my, I think, fundamentals around 
trade policy is ensuring that we are enforcing existing 
commitments that have been made to the United States, 
regardless if that is in a bilateral, multilateral or 
plurilateral sense such as the WTO. Should I be confirmed, I am 
very interested in looking into this issue, engaging with your 
rice producers in Mississippi, and your office on this issue, 
to look at it further.
    I think on the question of new trade deals, what I am very 
interested in are a couple of fundamentals to bring to the 
conversations within the Administration around what is 
meaningful market access for a cross-section and diversity of 
U.S. agricultural products that are producing and exporting, 
how do we address non-tariff barriers and ensure that science-
based regulatory processes and decisionmaking is being 
implemented within those various trading partners, and then 
having enforceable standards within those trade commitments. 
Then the final step is ensuring that when commitments are not 
being made or lived up to, that have been made to U.S. 
producers, that we are then enforcing those standards that we 
have negotiated.
    That is kind of the fundamental approach that I want to 
bring to the conversations around the trade policy for the 
Administration.
    Then finally, as you mentioned, with the reorganization, 
the Codex Office has moved under the TFAA mission area, and 
fundamentally that body has helped bring science-based clarity 
for food products for the international export market. Keeping 
that science-based decisionmaking in conversations that are 
rooted in science is absolutely paramount and something I am 
very committed to, should I be confirmed.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam 
Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Braun.
    Senator Braun. Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Taylor, I 
enjoyed our conversation yesterday. We covered a broad array of 
subjects. This one is particular to my home State of Indiana 
and other poultry-producing States.
    Indiana is one of the top poultry producers in the 
country--layers, turkeys, ducks, the whole works. We have been 
hit hard by the HPAI outbreak this year.
    As you know, situations like this can have a significant 
not only current impact but long term as well, because when you 
have to remediate it, it is basically you know what the 
solution is. It disrupts things big time, so it means that we 
have to be alert, we have to be preemptive, do whatever we can 
to try to keep it at bay.
    Since the first case was confirmed in February, I have 
worked closely with APHIS and our State agencies in Indiana to 
ensure that Hoosier producers have markets for their poultry 
along with this challenge. Looking forward, I believe the U.S. 
should probably do more to be preemptive, to be proactive, 
because once these hit, the alternatives are not good. They are 
bleak.
    What steps will you take to be proactive, to adopt that 
kind of healthy paranoia, maybe you might call it, in trading 
that you are going to be in charge of, in face of this 
challenge that does impact it?
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you for that question. I think it is an 
important one. As Director at the Oregon Department of 
Agriculture (ODA), dealing with high-path avian influenza is 
something that we are dealing with in Oregon as well. Oregon 
State Veterinarian is actually under ODA, so this is, 
unfortunately, an issue that I am very familiar with this year 
as well.
    I think, first and foremost, working with the regulators at 
APHIS to ensure that they have the resources and the tools that 
they need to quarantine when there is an HPAI-positive case, 
and then communicating with our trading partners when there is 
one, so we can ensure that we have an appropriate regionalized 
quarantine zone around that, and it does not impact the entire 
production of the State. I think that is very important.
    I think on the proactive side, communicating with our 
trading partners who are highly sensitive, oftentimes, to high-
path avian influenza before we start seeing cases in the United 
States. This is not the first time we have experienced it. 
Unfortunately, it will not be the last. I think having that 
open communication and open dialog with our trading partners 
that is rooted in the science of it is going to be critically 
important and something I am interested in engaging in also 
with you and your office and your State, should I have the 
privilege to be confirmed.
    Senator Braun. I am glad to hear that because I know a lot 
of poultry producers are on edge, not only in our State, and to 
have someone like you that addresses it as a significant issue 
and will do everything within your capability to be proactive, 
I think that is going to be soothing to many that are still 
wanting to get this in the rear-view mirror. It does seem to 
raise its ugly head too often. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Hoeven 
was next. I am not sure----
    He will be coming back. In the meantime, Senator Thune.
    Senator Thune. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member 
Boozman, and thanks for having the hearing to consider these 
nominations, and thank you all for your willingness to appear 
before this Committee and your willingness to serve in these 
positions.
    Before I start my questions I just want to again voice 
frustration that I have expressed now for a year and a half 
that we are this far into the current Administration and we are 
just now considering the nominee for USDA Under Secretary for 
Trade and Foreign Affairs, and we still do not have a Chief Ag 
Negotiator in place at USTR. The fact that the Administration 
has failed to prioritize these nominations for what I think are 
very important roles, there is just no excuse for it. Our 
nation's agricultural producers have been without a leading 
voice on the global stage for way too long, and so I hope we 
get these nominations across the finish line and get a focus on 
the issues that really matter to American agriculture, one of 
which obviously is trade.
    Ms. Taylor, as you know, cattle producers in South Dakota, 
Iowa, and across the country work hard each day to produce 
high-quality beef. Americans know this, and they want to know 
where their food is coming from, which is why I have been a 
longtime supporter of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, 
something that we have passed at least twice in the time that I 
have been in Congress. Each time it gets challenged at the WTO, 
and we all run for cover.
    That has got to stop. We need a mandatory Country of Origin 
Labeling regime in place, once and for all, one that our trade 
negotiators are willing to go to the WTO and defend.
    When we introduced this bill earlier this year, the 
American Beef Labeling Act, we did it in a way that would allow 
the Office of USTR and USDA to develop a WTO-compliant means of 
reinstating MCOOL for beef.
    I still cannot understand why in the world, in this 
country, everything that we wear, everything that we have on 
today has a label on it. We require labeling on everything in 
this country except the thing we put in the center of our 
plate. This has got to change.
    I want to know, if confirmed, will you commit to work with 
me and my staff on finding a path forward on Country of Origin 
Labeling to help address the concerns not only of South 
Dakotans but I think of all Americans who want to know where 
their beef is coming from?
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you for that question, Senator Thune. I 
think it is a really important one. It is a question and 
comment I hear often from Oregon ranchers. I hear it from my 
own family, who raise livestock and raise cattle in Iowa.
    Should I be confirmed, I am absolutely committed to working 
with you and USTR on a path that brings Country of Origin 
Labeling for our producers but also for our consumers in a way 
that is WTO-compliant.
    Senator Thune. Okay. Thank you. Madam Chair, I would say 
Senator Tester and I have this bill. I hope that as we consider 
the next farm bill we can get this incorporated in there. It is 
high time that we, once and for all, settle this issue about 
whether or not the United States of America is going to not 
only support its producers in enabling them to differentiate 
their products but also give the American consumer the option 
of purchasing beef that they know has been born, raised, and 
harvested here in the United States. That has got to happen, 
and I hope we can get that done in this farm bill.
    Ms. Taylor, I am also concerned about the Administration's 
lack of attention to expanding markets for U.S. agricultural 
products, and I will again use the Indo-Pacific Economic 
Framework, or IPEF. It fails to include market access. For 
generations, a large part of our Nation's economic success has 
been based on the U.S. advocating for more, not fewer, open 
markets. As a result, U.S. farm and food product exports have 
grown substantially in recent decades, which has largely been 
due to greater market access opportunities for American 
exporters.
    Under this Administration, however, there are no trade 
agreements under discussion or efforts underway to meaningfully 
increase market access for U.S. ag products. That is a problem. 
There is some low-hanging fruit out there. There are some deals 
I think that get done fairly quickly. I want to know, if 
confirmed, what actions you intend to take to advocate for 
market access opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers, and 
will you advocate for reauthorization of trade promotion 
authority, something that this Administration has not 
requested, and which many of us on both sides of the aisle, I 
think, would support?
    We have got to have market access opportunities, tariff 
reductions that would benefit U.S. agricultural interests. I do 
not see it coming out of this Administration, in any form, and 
I want to know what you are going to do about it.
    Ms. Taylor. Thank you, Senator, for that question. I think 
there are a couple of components that, should I be confirmed, I 
am interested in engaging with members of this Committee and 
the agriculture community and producers in your State around 
priority markets.
    Then you mentioned the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. I 
think that is a very exciting region of the world, certainly 
for U.S. agriculture. There is a lot of opportunity. Should I 
be confirmed, I am interested in understanding the agriculture 
community's priorities in engaging within the Administration on 
what does meaningful market access look like for our producers, 
what does addressing non-tariff barriers look like in that 
framework, and how do we bring about enforcement mechanisms to 
ensure that we can hold those partners accountable should they 
not live up to those commitments? That, collectively, is 
absolutely a priority for me when engaging within the 
Administration, should I be confirmed.
    Senator Thune. It is a huge market opportunity. That region 
of the world also would act as a check-and-balance again 
China's influence. The fact that we are not present there is a 
great concern not only on a trade and economic basis but also 
on a national security basis.
    I hope you focus like a laser on that and try and deal with 
what I think is this Administration's reluctance to actually 
put deals in place that deal with the issue of market access, 
which is critical. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, Senator Thune.
    There is a vote in process on the floor so we will wrap up 
today and thank again our three nominees for being here today. 
I strongly support each and every one of you in your 
nominations moving forward. I know, as you can see from today, 
there is strong bipartisan support from the Committee, which 
speaks to each of you and the quality of your nominations.
    This concludes the hearing. The record will remain open 
until tomorrow at 5 p.m. for members to submit additional 
questions or statements. The meeting is adjourned.

    [Whereupon, at 11:42 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

      
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                            A P P E N D I X

                           September 22, 2022

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                   DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

                           September 22, 2022

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                         QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                           September 22, 2022

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