WHAT HAPPENED: President Trump has nominated Greg Ibach to be USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA). Ibach would succeed Luke Lindberg, who has been named Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Luke Lindberg has been a tremendous friend and partner in our mission to deliver for America’s farmers and ranchers,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. “With his help, the Trump Administration had cut the agricultural trade deficit by 51%, helped deliver $177 billion in U.S. agricultural exports, expanded markets through 20 new trade agreements and frameworks, and secured billions of dollars in new agricultural purchase commitments around the world.” She added, “Greg is a lifelong producer and proven leader who knows American agriculture from the farm gate to the global marketplace.”
ABOUT LINDBERG: UN Secretary-General António Guterres and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu announced Lindberg’s appointment on September 18. He succeeds Cindy McCain, and WFP’s Executive Board concurred with the choice. McCain led WFP from April 2023 through May 2026 and stepped down for health reasons. WFP executive directors serve fixed five-year terms. Lindberg had held the USDA trade post for just over a year, and President Trump nominated him for the WFP job. An American has led WFP, the world’s largest food aid distributor, since 1992. Before USDA, Lindberg led the South Dakota Trade Association, held senior roles at Sanford Health, and served as chief of staff and chief strategy officer at the Export-Import Bank of the United States.
ABOUT IBACH: Ibach is a fifth-generation farmer and rancher from Sumner, Nebraska. He was Nebraska’s longest-serving agriculture director, from 2005 to 2017. During President Trump’s first term, he served as USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
WHY IT MATTERS: The TFAA under secretary oversees USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and food aid programs, including McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Food for Progress. The Foreign Agricultural Service leads USDA’s work on export market access, trade promotion and foreign trade barriers. For U.S. poultry, those issues include disease-related trade restrictions and reopening foreign markets.
WHAT’S NEXT: Ibach’s nomination now goes to the Senate Agriculture Committee for a confirmation hearing. The Senate does not return for legislative business until November 9. Lindberg will take over at WFP’s Rome headquarters. Until he arrives, Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau will remain acting head.
Lindberg (L) and Ibach
