Gregg Doud has seen the impacts of trade from multiple perspectives, from his upbringing on a Kansas grain and cattle farm to roles on the Senate Agriculture Committee staff, beef and dairy trade associations and a stint as the chief agricultural negotiator in the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). 

Drawing on the cumulative knowledge gleaned from those experiences, Doud will conclude the upcoming 2026 Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit with a forward-looking view of agricultural trade, highlighting the growing worldwide demand for animal protein and other commodities and how the United States is well-positioned to meet that demand.

The economic summit, “Trade Crossroads: Forces Shaping the Future of Ag,” will be held July 17 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.

Currently serving as president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), Doud was the USTR’s chief ag negotiator under Bob Lighthizer, the keynote speaker for the economic summit. 

“As head of a key dairy trade group, Gregg Doud is still actively engaged in  everything that’s happening in Washington, D.C., and the ongoing trade negotiations,” said Iowa Farm Bureau Economics and Research Manager Christopher Pudenz. “During his tenure in the USTR’s office, he was directly involved in negotiating the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is up for review this year. 

“He’ll take the audience on a clear-eyed geopolitical lap around the globe, highlighting what’s going on with the major players and how the United States and specifically the American farmer fit into that picture now and in the future.” 

The one-day Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit will also feature trade historian Samuel Gregg on how political forces have shaped American trade policy and why free trade matters, as well as a look at the highs and lows of current trade relationships by Susan Stroud of No Bull Agriculture and Erin Borror of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. 

In addition, economists from Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) will unveil a new joint study regarding the health of the Iowa agricultural economy, with an emphasis on trade.  

Attendees will also hear first-hand insights on how small- and medium-sized companies can navigate international markets from small-business owners who are exporting ag products today. 

Registration for the 2026 Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit is $25 for Farm Bureau members and $200 for non-Farm Bureau members through May 31. 

After May 31, the price increases to $50 for Farm Bureau members and $400 for non-Farm Bureau members. 

For a complete agenda and registration information, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/news/economic-summit.