Agricultural trade policy, tariff relief, and sustainable packaging compliance for U.S. agricultural stakeholders
What We Do
Agricultural Trade Policy & Tariff Relief
Market access strategy for U.S. agricultural exporters and trade associations — tariff exposure and relief (including Section 301, Section 232, and agricultural-use exclusions), input-cost affordability, and engagement with Congress and the Administration on farm trade priorities.
Sustainable Packaging Compliance
Helping U.S. food and beverage exporters prepare for the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) ahead of its 2030 milestones — packaging design, materials, recycled content, labeling, reporting, and reuse. This includes sectors such as tree nuts, with roughly $3 billion in U.S. exports to the EU.
About:
Andrew Stephens, Principal
Andrew Stephens brings more than 30 years of trade policy experience, including 27 years in senior federal roles. He directed agricultural affairs at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (2000–2008), serving as Director of Bilateral Agricultural Affairs and Director of Steel Trade Policy, and spent a decade as Senior Policy Advisor at USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. He has also served as International Policy Manager at FDA and as Deputy Director for Plastic Pollution at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
At USDA, he designed and managed a $10 million program funding sustainable packaging research and development, and helped U.S. agricultural stakeholders access a further $6 million in USDA grants for sustainable packaging R&D and PPWR readiness.
J.D., University of Missouri; M.A., Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), B.A. Brown University.
Contact
Get in touch
Andrew@agtradestrategies.com
University Park, Maryland
Website under development — full site coming soon.