The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) expressed its support of President Barack Obama's nomination of Dr. Isi A. Siddiqui to be US's next chief agricultural negotiator in the office of the US Trade Representative  (USTR).

Between 2001 and 2003, Siddiqui was appointed as senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he focused on agricultural biotechnology and food security issues. Since 2004, Siddiqui has also served on the US Department of Commerce's Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Health/Science Products & Services, which advises the US Secretary of Commerce and USTR on international trade issues related to these sectors.

The role of the chief agricultural negotiator is of great importance to AFIA members and others in the total feed industry given the significance of international trade to modern agriculture.