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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 29, 2000

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES ISI A. SIDDIQUI AS UNDER SECRETARY FOR MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS AT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

President Clinton today announced the recess appointment of Islam "Isi" A. Siddiqui as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Mr. Siddiqui was nominated to the Senate on December 8, 2000.

Mr. Islam A. Siddiqui, of Davis, California, has served as the Executive Assistant to the Secretary focusing on coordinating and developing USDA's agricultural trade policy since 1999. Previously, Mr. Siddiqui served as Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs dealing with sanitary and phytosanitary issues in international trade and agricultural marketing from 1997 to 1999. Before joining USDA, Mr. Siddiqui worked with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for 28 years. As the Director for the Division of Plant Industry, Mr. Siddiqui was responsible for the plant pest prevention programs in California. He worked closely with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in resolving a number of agricultural export problems with China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, and European Union countries.

Mr. Siddiqui received his B.S. in plant protection from Uttar Pradesh Agricultural University in Pantnagar, India, and a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

The Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA provides leadership in the programs governing the inspection and grading of meats, grains, produce and poultry; develops effective and efficient marketing programs for domestic food and fiber; and manages veterinary services and plant protection and quarantine efforts. Additionally, the Under Secretary exercises general direction over all the programs and functions of the Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Service, and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

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