Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey congratulated three Kansans recently appointed by USDA chief Tom Vilsack to serve on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and two of six commodity specific Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs).
Steve Baccus, Minneapolis, was appointed to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee. Tracy Brunner, Lost Springs, will serve on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products and Ron Suppes, Dighton, has been named to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds.
“These outstanding Kansans bring a wealth of production agriculture knowledge and international agriculture experience to the committees. From providing insight and practical application into policy discussions to helping advance opportunities to expand trade of agricultural goods, our Kansas leaders will be valuable assets to these committees,” said McClaskey. “Not only will they represent our state’s agricultural industry well through their service to these USDA committees, their contributions will help drive the entire industry forward.”
In 2014, over $4.1 billion dollars of agricultural goods were shipped around the globe to 95 different countries.  
Congress established the advisory committee system in 1974 to ensure a private-sector voice in establishing U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives to reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative jointly manage the committees.
The APAC provides advice and information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on the administration of trade policy; including enforcement of existing trade agreements and negotiating objectives for new trade agreements. The ATACs offer technical advice and information about specific commodities and products.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to providing an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy including the further development and expansion of marketing opportunities for agricultural goods and services around the globe.