感謝克莱顿·耶特嘅指導

Thirty-five years ago, around Thanksgiving,  克莱顿·尤特 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.

佢曾要求佢嘅顧問們為各國制定一項削減幫補嘅計劃。, 關稅, 同市場準入障礙. 佢哋返嚟提出了一項建議，即透過以下方式減少呢啲 50 十年內嘅百分比. 当佢哋提交草稿時, Yeutter睇住它，劃出了 50 並將其替換為 100 百分比. As a skilled negotiator, he realized that if you want to get to fifty, 你需要由一百開始.

Clayton got buy-in from the Secretary of Agriculture, 佢嘅內閣同僚, 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, “與戰鬥機押韻: 克莱顿·约特美國政治家,” 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.

我係喺克莱顿生命嘅最後幾年識佢嘅。. 我哋喺基本層面上進行了連接: 佢係來自內布拉斯加州嘅農場男孩，我係來自愛荷華州嘅農場女仔. 我哋都對公共政策感興趣, 尤其係喺農業方面. 佢曾為四位總統工作過, 我曾為一位州長工作過.

His career was prestigious—after serving as U.S. 列根總統時期嘅貿易代表, 佢曾喺乔治·H·W.總統領導下擔任農業部長。. Bush—he was a busy man whose advise was sought out by many, 但他從不認為自己對我嚟講太重要或太忙. 我好开心受到公開邀請，訪問華盛頓時與他見面緊。, D.C., 佢對全球農民網絡產生咗濃厚嘅興趣，因為佢信我哋農民領導和發聲嘅組織嘅使命，該組織倡導更好嘅貿易政策和獲得農業科學技術。.

跨越多年嘅時間同早餐會, 佢成為一名模范導師: a person who shared his experience and advice and expected nothing in return.  While his expertise and perspective were sought out, it was also many unsolicited notes and emails of encouragement from him that provided subtle and important affirmation of the work and messaging the farmers of the Global Farmer Network were sharing globally.

Clayton Yeutter died in 2017, but the book brings him back to life. I can see that broad grin and hear his voice saying: “We must liberalize world agricultural trade, so that food supplies can flow where they are needed. Trade barriers must be made more expensive for countries that resort to them.”

This principle was fundamental to his life’s work, as he went on to negotiate trade agreements with Canada, 日本, 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.