<p><span>Good morning, and thank you to everyone who is joining today’s Open Meeting here at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) conference room and those joining us remotely. Open public meetings are critical to the notice and comment rulemaking process, and the more members of the public we can reach, the better the process. Transparency in the regulatory process is a Core Value at the CFTC,</span><span> and is foundational to good governance.</span></p>
<p><span>I’d like to extend my thanks to Chairman Behnam for holding today’s open meeting, and to say what a pleasure it has been over the last several months to be working together to achieve the ambitious agenda that was laid out in your testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee. I think it’s clear to everybody here that we have important work ahead of us and I’m really looking forward to getting the job done.</span></p>
<p><span>On March 21, 2023, Americans celebrated the 50</span><span>th</span><span> National Agricultural Day to recognize the hard work and dedication of the entire Ag industry. That includes members of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (“AAC”). My biggest message today is thank you and we celebrate your contributions to the American and global economies.</span></p>
<p><span>Good morning. Thank you Chairman Behnam for your leadership of the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) and for holding this meeting today. Thank you to AAC Designated Federal Officer, Swati Shah, AAC Chair Scott Herndon, and to the committee members for the discussions and work you have planned. Your time is valuable, and I appreciate you sharing your expertise with us. </span></p>