A Conversation with USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden

A Conversation with USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden:

Update on Ag Trade, Financial Assistance, USDA Reorganization & Related Issues

You will learn:

In this webinar, Judge Stephen Vaden, USDA Deputy Secretary, will discuss the latest insights into the current landscape of U.S. agricultural trade, including developments in international market access and trade agreements, as well as USDA financial assistance, USDA reorganization efforts, USDA regulatory and litigation priorities, and other related issues impacting producers, lenders, and others in the ag industry. Deputy Secretary Vaden has a unique background as an attorney, former USDA General Counsel, a federal judge on the Court of International Trade, and as USDA Deputy Secretary. Attendees will hear about USDA’s trade strategy, policy initiatives, and the ag law and policy issues most likely to impact the agricultural sector in 2026 and beyond.

Event Details:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ET)

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (CT)

Click to Register

You will hear:

The Honorable Judge Stephen A. Vaden, Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, a native of Union City, Tennessee, brings extensive experience in agricultural policy, law, and rural development to his leadership role at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he works alongside Secretary Brooke L. Rollins to help guide Department operations and implement policies supporting the nation’s food and farm systems. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Vaden previously served for five years as a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade and for nearly four years as USDA’s General Counsel, overseeing more than 250 legal professionals and legal matters for a department of over 100,000 employees and a budget approaching $150 billion. During his tenure, USDA prevailed in two U.S. Supreme Court cases, carried out regulatory reform initiatives, implemented the 2018 Farm Bill, relocated and reorganized key agencies, and developed regulations related to hemp production and bioengineered food disclosure. He also served on the Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation, contributing to programs supporting producers affected by foreign trade barriers.

Before entering public service, Vaden practiced law at Jones Day and Patton Boggs as an appellate litigator and political law attorney. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Yale Law School.

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