The Pet Food Institute (PFI) congratulated Dr. Julie Callahan on her confirmation as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Callahan will oversee agricultural trade policy development and work to reduce tariff and nontariff barriers to U.S. agricultural exports, including pet food. U.S. pet food exports exceeded US$2.53 billion in 2024 and reached more than 90 countries.
"PFI looks forward to working alongside Dr. Callahan to maintain strong international market access and support continued growth for exports of U.S. pet food, which is predominantly made with ingredients from American farms," said Dana Brooks, PFI's president and CEO. "With exports exceeding $2.53 billion in 2024 and reaching more than 90 countries, Dr. Callahan's extensive agricultural trade expertise will be essential as the U.S. pet food industry continues its global expansion."
Callahan serves as the assistant U.S. trade representative for agricultural affairs and commodity policy, promoting interests of U.S. farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers. She previously served as deputy assistant U.S. trade representative and senior director in the USTR agriculture office.
Before joining USTR, Callahan held senior leadership positions in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she aligned FDA analytical and policy approaches to resolve regulatory issues in international trade. She also served in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service and at the American Chemical Society.
PFI has participated in export promotion since 1993 through USDA's Market Access Program, which supports global promotion of U.S. agricultural goods. Through the program, PFI promotes U.S. pet food in 11 markets across 20 countries.
According to PFI, U.S. pet food manufacturers produce more than 9.8 million tons of food annually in 33 states. The industry purchased US$13.2 billion in farm products in 2024.
