The National Pork Producers Council has promoted Maria Zieba to vice president of international affairs. She will oversee international trade advocacy efforts on behalf of America's 60,000 pork producers.
 
"NPPC recently announced the culmination of a strategic planning and repositioning effort that will drive momentum in shaping the future for the next generation of pork producers and their businesses," says Bryan Humphreys, NPPC's chief executive officer. "It's never been more important to plan for our future, and we are pleased to have someone with Maria's experience and talent to lead NPPC's efforts to increase trade for U.S. pork products."
 
Zieba joined NPPC in January 2015 and has played a prominent role in supporting the organization's efforts to expand market access of U.S. pork products. These include successfully maintaining zero duties for U.S. pork exports to Canada and Mexico as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, lowering Most Favored Nation tariffs on imported pork from the Philippines and Vietnam, and expanding market access of fresh, frozen, and processed pork into Argentina.
 
"Seeing the benefits from the expansion of U.S. pork products to countries worldwide and how they support thousands of American farmers, their families and communities is very rewarding," says Zieba. "This new opportunity at NPPC will allow me to continue my passion for trade and advocate for greater access to high-quality, affordable pork products for consumers around the globe."
 
Before joining NPPC, Zieba was a trade policy manager for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where she worked on various trade issues affecting the dairy industry. Previously, she worked at the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, managing capacity-building projects to increase U.S. agricultural exports to emerging markets.
 
Zieba holds a master's degree in international commerce and policy from George Mason University. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside with a double major in political science-international affairs and Spanish. She serves on the boards of the Washington International Trade Association, Women in International Trade and Farmers for Free Trade.

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