The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has promoted Maria C. Zieba to vice president of international affairs. She will oversee international trade advocacy efforts on behalf of America’s 60,000 pork producers.
“NPPC recently announced the culmination of a strategic planning and repositioning effort that will drive momentum in shaping the future for the next generation of pork producers and their businesses,” Bryan Humphreys, NPPC’s CEO said in a release. “It’s never been more important to plan for our future, and we are pleased to have someone with Maria’s experience and talent to lead NPPC’s efforts to increase trade for U.S. pork products.”
Upon joining NPPC in January 2015, Zieba has played a prominent role in supporting the organization’s efforts to expand market access of U.S. pork products. From successfully maintaining zero duties for U.S. pork exports to Canada and Mexico as part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and lowering Most Favored Nation tariffs on imported pork from the Philippines and Vietnam to expanding market access of fresh, frozen, and processed pork into Argentina, Zieba has continued to create opportunities for expanded market access.
“Seeing the benefits from the expansion of U.S. pork products to countries worldwide and how they support thousands of American farmers, their families, and communities is very rewarding,” Zieba said in a release. “This new opportunity at NPPC will allow me to continue my passion for trade and advocate for greater access to high-quality, affordable pork products for consumers around the globe.”
Zieba was a trade policy manager for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where she worked on various trade issues affecting the dairy industry before joining NPPC. She also worked for USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, managing capacity-building projects to increase U.S. agricultural exports to emerging markets.
Read Zieba’s latest thoughts here: U.S. Must Get Market Access to Asia-Pacific Nations
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