President Donald Trump has sent the Senate a nomination that puts a Nebraska farmer and rancher in line to run USDA's trade portfolio: Greg Ibach, tapped to serve as under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.

If confirmed, Ibach would oversee the Foreign Agricultural Service and the department's other trade-related programs, directing federal efforts to expand international markets for U.S. agricultural products. The post also carries responsibility for USDA's international trade and food assistance activities, including programs focused on market access, trade promotion and international agricultural development.

Who is Greg Ibach?

Ibach is no newcomer to the department. He served as USDA under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs from 2017 to 2021 during Trump's first administration. Before that, he led the Nebraska Department of Agriculture from 2005 to 2017 — the longest tenure of any agriculture director in the state's history.

He operates as a lifelong farmer and rancher from Sumner, Nebraska, giving him direct grounding in production agriculture alongside his state and federal policy experience.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins backed the pick in direct terms. "I am thrilled President Trump has nominated Greg Ibach to serve as our next Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs," Rollins said. "Greg is a lifelong producer and proven leader who knows American agriculture from the farm gate to the global marketplace."

What does the job control?

The under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs sits over the programs that commodity groups count on for overseas demand:

• The Market Access Program, which funds export promotion
• The Foreign Market Development Program, cost-share market building abroad
• Foreign food assistance programs that move U.S. commodities to customers worldwide

Ibach would succeed Luke Lindberg, who has left the post to become executive director of the United Nations World Food Program.

How did farm groups respond?

Agricultural organizations moved quickly to welcome the nomination, pointing to Ibach's record on international trade and market development.

The National Association of Wheat Growers praised his familiarity with the export tools wheat producers depend on. "Wheat growers rely on programs like the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, and Foreign Food Assistance Program to expand markets and help get U.S. wheat to customers around the world," NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer said. "Greg understands the importance of these programs and has a proven record of working to expand market opportunities for American producers." NAWG urged the Senate to advance the nomination.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation also lined up behind Ibach. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said the organization has worked with Ibach for many years and called him a strong advocate for agricultural trade at both the state and federal levels. "He has seen firsthand the returns that exports deliver for the U.S. ag economy and understands the importance of expanding global demand for U.S. products," Halstrom said.

What happens next?

The nomination now moves to the Senate, where the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee is expected to consider it before any potential vote by the full chamber. Confirmation would place a veteran of both Nebraska's agriculture department and USDA's regulatory shop in charge of the export promotion architecture at a time when commodity groups are pressing to hold and grow overseas market share.