USDA Chief Economist Collins To Retire

Avatar for Matt Hopkins By Scott C. Lucas|20 December 2007

The U.S.-based National Cotton Council (NCC) was one of several groups to offer Collins the best for a happy retirement. NCC President and CEO Mark Lange commented that “Dr. Collins’ insights and policy analysis have been an extraordinary value for all of agriculture. We appreciate his dedication to U.S. agriculture and his demonstration of the value of sound economic analyses in application to a wide array of agricultural issues.”

In late November, acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced that Collins, who has overseen the agency’s market forecasts and projections for the past decade and a half, will retire on January 3. Said Conner, “Dr. Keith Collins has been a cornerstone of the strength of USDA. His distinguished service to agriculture has brought incisive analysis to inform USDA decisions made on behalf of America’s farmers and ranchers.”

Conner added that Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Joseph Glauber will be appointed as acting Chief Economist. Glauber, who currently is works as Special Doha Agricultural Envoy, is expected to assume the duties of Chief Economist full-time beginning in mid-December.