Daily News Update, Jan. 03, 2008
USDA chief economist Dr. Keith Collins retires
Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner
announced in December the Jan. 3, 2008 retirement of USDA Chief
Economist Dr. Keith Collins and the appointment of Deputy Chief
Economist Dr. Joseph Glauber as acting chief economist.
Prior to his appointment, Glauber was on
detail to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and serving as
Special Doha Agricultural Envoy. He assumed the duties of chief
economist full-time beginning in mid-December.
"Dr. Keith Collins has been a cornerstone of
the strength of USDA. His distinguished service to agriculture has
brought incisive analysis to inform USDA decisions made on behalf of
America's farmers and ranchers. Keith will be greatly missed by many and
I wish him well in retirement," Conner said.
"We are fortunate to have someone as talented
as Dr. Joe Glauber ready to assume a more prominent leadership role.
Having served as deputy chief economist for 15 years, Joe is well
prepared for the demands of the post and well respected throughout
American agriculture. The valued contributions of both economists are
innumerable. USDA has benefited enormously from their insight and
analysis," said Conner.
Collins has served as USDA chief economist
for the past 15 years overseeing USDA's program of market forecasts and
projections. Collins' 32 years of federal service has included
leadership with wide-ranging impact in the economic analysis of
agricultural policy, energy and bioproducts, risk assessment and
cost-benefit analysis, and global climate change.
Collins has also served as chairman of the
board of directors of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for the
past seven years and chairman and vice-chairman of the USDA Graduate School.
His key roles in USDA farm bill activities began with the 1985 farm bill
and continued with frequent testimony on behalf of USDA in congressional
hearings and briefings.
Glauber, USDA
deputy chief economist, returned to USDA in December from temporary
assignment to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and will
retain his role as Special Doha Agricultural Envoy for the United
States. Glauber has served as deputy chief Eeconomist at USDA since 1992.
In addition to his work in the Doha negotiations, he served as senior
staff economist for agriculture, natural resources and trade at the
President's Council of Economic Advisers and as an economist at the USDA
Economic Research Service
Glauber received his Ph.D. in agricultural
economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1984 and holds an AB in
anthropology from the University of Chicago
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