Annual Meeting 2003
The 39th Annual Meeting of
The Association for International Agriculture 
and Rural Development

"On Renewing Commitment to International Agriculture and Rural Development"
Speakers and Panelists

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James G. "Jim" Butler
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Dr. Jim Butler has served as USDA's deputy under secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services since November 2002. As deputy, Butler provides leadership to agencies and programs within the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services mission. He gives general direction of programs administered by the Farm Service Agency and the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Risk Management Agency and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, and the Foreign Agricultural Service. These agencies are comprised of over 18,000 employees and administer over $34 billion in USDA programs. He is particularly involved with emerging trade and biotechnology issues and sanitary and phytosanitary issues. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Butler served as USDA's deputy under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs since September 2001. In that position he worked closely with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agricultural Marketing Service and the Grain Inspection, and the Packers and Stockyards Administration. He was a key advisor regarding trade, farm and food policies. He worked on invasive species issues like citrus canker and karnal bunt and on the implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill. Butler was active in homeland security issues and serves on USDA's Diversity Advisory Committee.

Butler's production agriculture experience includes being a partner from 1965 to 2001 in Butler and Son Charolais Ranch, a purebred Charolais cattle operation in Brazos County, Texas. The ranch has been recognized regionally and nationally for environmental stewardship. From 1979 to 1985, he gained extensive ranching experience with sheep and cattle in southeastern New Mexico. Operations included a wool warehouse, lamb feeding and range sheep and cattle. Butler's experience in higher education includes serving as a sheep and wool specialist for Colorado State University from 1985-1987. From 1990-2001, Butler worked for the Texas A&M System in various positions in administration, most recently as Deputy Vice Chancellor of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Butler has also been active in association management and leadership. From 1987 through 1989, he was Executive Vice President of the National Wool Growers Association. He also served in leadership positions with the New Mexico Wool Growers, Texas Farm Bureau and American International Charolais Association. Butler is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in animal science. He obtained a master's degree in animal science from New Mexico State University and doctorate in animal physiology from the University of Arizona.