The Foreign Service Journal, April 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2019 47 FAS VP VOICE | BY KIMBERLY SAWATZKI AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA FAS VP. Contact: kim.sawatzki@usda.gov | (202) 720-3650 Government Shutdowns Shut Out U.S. Farmers Uncertainty has always been one of the greatest threats facing farmers. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service plays an important role in reducing uncertainty through our global agricul- tural market intelligence and commodity reporting. We provide American farmers and traders with unbiased, up-to-date data and fore- casts for world agricultural production and trade, which help farmers make informed planting and business decisions … unless the U.S. government is shut down. The U.S. farm sector has been reeling from trade wars with China and other countries, and it looks to FAS weekly U.S. export sales reports to understand the overall level of export demand and assess the relative position of 40 U.S. commodities in foreign markets. The reports serve as an early alert on the impact of foreign sales on U.S. supplies and prices, and the shutdown left farmers in the dark. To make informed plant- ing decisions about which crops are most likely to generate the highest profits, farmers seek information on competitor production and trade. FAS attaché reports take center stage as the pri- mary source of insight and analysis of global agricul- tural production and trade. To produce these reports, we study new and upcom- ing seed varieties; follow weather patterns; track pest and disease outbreaks; observe satellite imagery and conduct crop travel to ground-truth the data; assess the impact of infra- structure development and logistical challenges; moni- tor clearing of new land for agricultural development; analyze crop rotations and shifts to alternative crops; examine changes in stocks and consumption; and cal- culate losses. We meet with local farm- ers, government officials, seed developers, private statistical companies, com- modity sector representa- tives, traders and anyone else involved in the sector. We keep abreast of potential policy changes and analyze their direct and indirect ramifications. We use all of this infor- mation to develop unbiased, well-informed, globally respected, up-to-date fore- casts, which are published on the FAS website for We provide American farmers and traders with unbiased, up-to-date data and forecasts for world agricultural production and trade, which help farmers make informed planting and business decisions … unless the U.S. government is shut down. public consumption. These reports feed into USDA’s monthly world agricultural supply and demand esti- mates reports, and provide farmers with a comprehen- sive global forecast of sup- ply and demand for major crops. During the 35-day partial U.S. government shutdown, these reports were sus- pended, and it took weeks thereafter to catch up on the backlog. As they made their planting decisions, Ameri- can farmers were burdened with unnecessary uncer- tainty, and only time will tell the extent of the damage. n AFSAGoverning Board Meeting, February 22, 2019 Management Committee: It was moved “that the Governing Board amend the performance assessments section on page 22 of the AFSA Employee Handbook as follows: –Striking “calendar year” and inserting “budget cycle.” –Striking “January” and inserting “October.” –Striking “December” and inserting “September.” –Inserting after “retention”: “Staff reporting directly to the president and CEO or constituent VPs in election years will be reviewed by their supervisor at the end of June, and then their new (if changed) supervisor in Sep- tember. The ratings of the outgoing supervisor will account for two-thirds of the FJP score, with the incoming supervi- sor accounting for one-third.” The motion was adopted. By unanimous consent, the board also approved an application for an associate member to join AFSA. n