Phil Hogan and chief US agriculture negotiator to speak at Kilkenny conference

By COLIN BARTLEY

TWO heavyweights of global agriculture will share a platform in Kilkenny next weekend.

Ireland’s EU Commissioner from Kilkenny, Phil Hogan, will be joined at one of Ireland’s most important agricultural conferences by his US counterpart.

Gregg Doud, the chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative, will address delegates at the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) conference, which takes place in the Lyrath Hotel, next Friday.

European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan is the keynote speaker at the ASA conference now in its 77th year. This year’s theme is ‘Risk and Reward: A New Era for Agri-Food.

Mr Doud will also address the delegates. Before becoming chief agricultural negotiator last year, Doud held many agricultural positions in Government, and as a lobbyist, in Washington, including President of the Commodity Markets Council for five years.

He also held positions in the international trade, food aid, livestock and oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and US Wheat Associates.