感谢 Clayton Yeutter 的指导

三十五年前, 感恩节前后, 一种 克莱顿·耶特 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.

他曾要求他的顾问为各国制定削减补贴的计划, 关税, 和市场准入壁垒. 他们回来提出将这些减少的建议 50 十年以上的百分比. 当他们提交草稿时, Yeutter 看了看，刮掉了 50 并将其替换为 100 百分. As a skilled negotiator, he realized that if you want to get to fifty, 你需要从一百开始.

Clayton got buy-in from the Secretary of Agriculture, 他的同事内阁官员, 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 with Fighter: Clayton Yeutter American Statesman,” 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.

I got to know Clayton in the final years of his life. We connected on a basic level: 他是来自内布拉斯加州的农场男孩，而我是来自爱荷华州的农场女孩. 我们都对公共政策感兴趣, 特别是在农业方面. 他曾为四位总统工作过, 我曾为州长工作.

His career was prestigious—after serving as U.S. 里根总统时期的贸易代表, 他是乔治·H·W (George H.W) 总统领导下的农业部长. 衬套—he was a busy man whose advise was sought out by many, 但他从不认为自己对我来说太重要或太忙. 我很高兴收到他访问华盛顿的公开邀请, 特区, 他对全球农民网络产生了积极的兴趣，因为他相信我们由农民领导和发声的组织的使命，该组织倡导更好的贸易政策和农业科学技术的获取.

跨越数年和早餐会, 他成为了模范导师: a person who shared his experience and advice and expected nothing in return.  While his expertise and perspective were sought out, 还有许多来自他的未经请求的鼓励笔记和电子邮件，对全球农民网络的农民在全球分享的工作和信息提供了微妙而重要的肯定.

克莱顿·耶特死于 2017, but the book brings him back to life. I can see that broad grin and hear his voice saying: “我们必须放开世界农产品贸易, 以便食物供应可以流向需要的地方. Trade barriers must be made more expensive for countries that resort to them.”

这个原则是他毕生工作的基础, 当他继续与加拿大谈判贸易协定时, 日本, 欧盟, 和整个世界. Clayton Yeutter 在他自己的时代为农民创造了更好的生活，他的影响力继续使今天的农民过得更好.

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.