Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Textile Trade Affairs

The Office of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Textile Trade Affairs leads the Department of State's efforts to formulate and implement policies on issues ranging from food safety and agricultural productivity to trade in agricultural biotechnology and textile products. The office has two divisions.

The Biotechnology and Textile Trade Affairs unit manages a program to promote the use and understanding of agricultural biotechnology, seeks to maintain open markets for U.S. products derived from modern biotechnology, and oversees trade in textile and apparel products.

The Agricultural Trade Policy unit covers all bilateral, regional and global trade negotiations or disputes relating to agricultural products; food safety issues; programs to enhance food security in developing countries; and U.S. food aid policy.

On all of these issues, the Office of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Textile Trade Affairs works closely with its partner offices in the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the White House, and other federal agencies.