Thirty-five years ago, around Thanksgiving, Â Clayton Yeutter was focused on using American trade laws to negotiate on behalf of the United States for the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. As the U.S. Trade Representative in the Reagan administration, one of his main goals was to make it easier for farmers to buy and sell their products across borders.
Dheweke wis njaluk penasihat supaya nggawe rencana supaya negara-negara nyuda subsidi, tarif, lan alangan akses pasar. Padha bali karo proposal kanggo ngurangi iki dening 50 persen luwih saka sepuluh taun. Nalika padha nampilake rancangane, Yeutter nyawang lan ngeruk 50 lan diganti karo 100 persen. As a skilled negotiator, he realized that if you want to get to fifty, sampeyan kudu miwiti ing satus.
Clayton got buy-in from the Secretary of Agriculture, kanca kabinètipun, and the United States set the table for what became one of the most important trade pacts ever negotiated in human history.
This story and many others are included in a new biography that talks about his role in global trade at this point in America’s history. The title, "Rhymes karo Fighter: Clayton Yeutter Amerika Serikat,†is a reference to what Yeutter would say when a person asked the pronunciation of his last name. He was an extraordinary public servant and statesman whose efforts in support of cross-border business and free trade are still having a positive impact on agriculture and farmers.
Aku kenal karo Clayton ing taun-taun pungkasan uripe. Kita nyambungake ing tingkat dhasar: Dheweke dadi bocah tani saka Nebraska lan aku dadi bocah tani saka Iowa. Kita padha kasengsem ing kawicaksanan umum, utamane babagan pertanian. Dheweke wis kerja kanggo papat presiden, lan aku wis makarya dadi gubernur.
His career was prestigious—after serving as U.S. Perwakilan Perdagangan ing Presiden Reagan, dheweke dadi Sekretaris Pertanian ing Presiden George H.W. Bush—he was a busy man whose advise was sought out by many, nanging dheweke ora tau nganggep awake dhewe penting banget utawa sibuk kanggo aku. Aku seneng undhangan mbukak kanggo ndeleng dheweke ing kunjungan menyang Washington, D.C., lan dheweke duwe minat aktif ing Jaringan Petani Global amarga dheweke percaya karo misi organisasi sing dipimpin lan disuarakake petani sing nyengkuyung kabijakan perdagangan sing luwih apik lan akses menyang teknologi berbasis ilmu ing pertanian..
Ing sawetara taun lan rapat-rapat sarapan, dheweke dadi mentor model: a person who shared his experience and advice and expected nothing in return. Â While his expertise and perspective were sought out, uga akeh cathetan lan email sing ora dikarepake saka dheweke sing nyedhiyakake penegasan sing halus lan penting babagan karya lan olahpesen sing dituduhake para petani ing Jaringan Petani Global ing saindenging jagad..
Clayton Yeutter tilar donya ing 2017, but the book brings him back to life. I can see that broad grin and hear his voice saying: "Kita kudu liberalisasi perdagangan pertanian donya, supaya pasokan pangan bisa mili menyang ngendi sing dibutuhake. Trade barriers must be made more expensive for countries that resort to them.â€
This principle was fundamental to his life’s work, as he went on to negotiate trade agreements with Canada, Japan, the European Union, and the whole world. Clayton Yeutter made life better for farmers in his own time and his influence continues to make farmers better off today.
As I prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States with my family this week, I have much to be thankful for. Included in that long list are the mentors I have been privileged to have in my life. And this year, special gratitude for the remarkable legacy and friendship of Clayton Yeutter.