In commenting on the forthcoming retirement of USDA Chief Economist Dr. Keith Collins, National Cotton Council President/CEO Mark Lange said, “Dr. Collins’ insights and policy analysis have been an extraordinary value for all of agriculture. We appreciate his dedication to U.S. agriculture and his demonstration of the value of sound economic analyses in application to a wide array of agricultural issues."
On November 27, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced that Collins – who has served as USDA Chief Economist for the past 15 years overseeing the agency‘s program of market forecasts and projections -- will retire on January 3.
Secretary Conner said, "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.”
Conner said that Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Joseph Glauber will be appointed as Acting Chief Economist. Glauber, who currently is on detail to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and serving as Special Doha Agricultural Envoy, is expected to assume the duties of Chief Economist full-time beginning in mid-December.