Passing of Clayton Yeutter

Cindy Zimmerman

Clayton Yeutter with Agri-Pulse president Sara Wyant in March 2015

Tributes are pouring out in memory of Clayton Yeutter who passed away March 4 at the age of 86.

Clayton Yeutter served as U.S. Trade Representative under President Ronald Reagan and as agriculture secretary under President George H.W. Bush. He was always a strong advocate for American agriculture and a friend to many of us in the industry who have known him since those days in the late 1980s.

The last time we saw Clayton was almost exactly two years ago in Washington DC at the Agri-Pulse Ag Day event where he talked about the establishment of an international trade and finance institute at his alma mater, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

“We want to endow some chairs in agriculture, business and law,” said Yeutter. “What I want to do to have a lasting legacy beyond my days on this earth is to have students focus on things international.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Clayton from March 2015 here:
Interview with Clayton Yeutter

We also have links to some other audio posts with Yeutter:

November 2012 – NAFB panel with Bob Bergland and John Block

August 2012 – Farm Progress Show press conference

March 2011 – Interview from Bayer media event

Clayton was definitely my favorite agriculture secretary ever and just a great guy. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Audio, Trade, USDA