Attendees at the 2006 NAMA Boot Camp were surprised with a special visit from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns on August 23.

The Secretary was in the Kansas City area speaking at another conference and dropped by to talk to attendees about world trade policies and how important they are. Johanns has been the most involved Secretary of Agriculture in dealing with world trade policies. His passion for trade policies has been evident during his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture. Days after he took office, he began working with U.S. trading partners to reopen their markets to U.S. beef. Nearly 119 countries had closed their markets after a single finding of a BSE-infected cow in the U.S. in 2003. Within his first year, Johanns convinced nearly half that number to reopen markets.

To improve access to markets he has traveled the world, participating in World Trade Organization negotiations and promoting the successful passage of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement.

If you missed the Secretary at the NAMA Boot Camp, you’ll have another chance to see him speak at the Gateway NAMA/St. Louis Agribusiness Club monthly meeting on Friday, September 15 at the Crown Plaza Hotel – Clayton, Grand Ballroom on the lower level, 7750 Carondelet Avenue, St. Louis, MO. Cost is $25 with advance registration. To RSVP, e-mail [email protected] or call 636-449-5040 by Tuesday, September 5th.