Fa'afetai mo le Fa'atonu a Clayton Yeutter

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.

Na ia talosagaina ana faufautua e fai se fuafuaga mo atunuu e tipi a latou fesoasoani, tau, ma pa pupuni avanoa i maketi. Na latou toe fo'i mai ma se talosaga e fa'aitiitia nei mea e 50 pasene ile sefulu tausaga. Ina ua latou tuuina atu a latou ata faataitai, Na tilotilo i ai Yeutter ma valu ai le 50 ma suia i 100 pasene. As a skilled negotiator, he realized that if you want to get to fifty, e tatau ona e amata i le selau.

Clayton got buy-in from the Secretary of Agriculture, lona uso a le kapeneta, 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, “Sologa ma Fusu: Clayton Yeutter Amerika Amerika,” 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.

Na ou iloa Clayton i tausaga mulimuli o lona olaga. Sa matou fesootai i se tulaga faavae: O ia o se tama faifaatoaga mai Nebraska ma o au o se teine ​​faifaatoaga mai Iowa. Sa ma fiafia uma i faiga faavae lautele, aemaise lava i mea tau faatoaga. Sa galue o ia mo peresitene e toafa, ma sa ou galue mo se kovana.

His career was prestigious—after serving as U.S. Sui Fefa'ataua'iga i lalo o le Peresetene Reagan, sa avea o ia ma Failautusi o Faatoaga i lalo o le taitaiga a Peresitene George H.W. Bush—he was a busy man whose advise was sought out by many, ae na te lei vaai ia te ia lava e taua tele pe pisi mo au. Sa ou fiafia i se valaaulia tatala e vaai ia te ia i asiasiga i Uosigitone, D.C., ma sa ia matua fiafia lava i le Global Farmer Network ona sa ia talitonu i le misiona a le tatou faifaatoÊ»aga taÊ»itaÊ»ia ma faÊ»aleo le faÊ»alapotopotoga o loÊ»o fautuaina mo le sili atu o faiga faÊ»avae fefaÊ»atauaÊ»iga ma avanoa i tekinolosi faÊ»avae faasaienisi i faÊ»atoaga..

I le tele o tausaga ma fonotaga o le taeao, sa avea o ia ma se faiaoga faataitai: a person who shared his experience and advice and expected nothing in return.  While his expertise and perspective were sought out, o le tele foʻi o faʻamatalaga e leʻi taʻua ma imeli o faʻamalosi mai ia te ia na maua ai se faʻamaoniga maaleale ma taua o le galuega ma feʻau a le au faifaʻatoʻaga o le Global Farmer Network o fefaʻasoaaʻi i le lalolagi atoa..

Na maliu Clayton Yeutter 2017, but the book brings him back to life. I can see that broad grin and hear his voice saying: “E tatau ona tatou fa’asa’oloto fefa’ataua’iga o fa’ato’aga a le lalolagi, ina ia mafai ona tafe atu meaʻai i mea e manaʻomia ai. Trade barriers must be made more expensive for countries that resort to them.”

O lenei mataupu faavae sa faavae i galuega o lona olaga, a'o ia fa'atalanoaina feagaiga fefa'ataua'iga ma Kanata, Iapani, le Iuni a Europa, ma le lalolagi atoa. O Clayton Yeutter na faia le olaga sili atu mo le au faifaatoaga i ona lava taimi ma o lana faatosinaga o loo faaauau pea ona faaleleia atili ai le aufaifaatoaga i aso nei..

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.