Clayton Yeutter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clayton Yeutter
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| Counselor to the President | |
| In office February 1, 1992 – January 20, 1993 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Edwin Meese (1985) |
| Succeeded by | David Gergen |
| Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
| In office January 25, 1991 – February 1, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Lee Atwater |
| Succeeded by | Richard Bond |
| 23rd United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
| In office February 16, 1989 – March 1, 1991 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Richard Edmund Lyng |
| Succeeded by | Edward Rell Madigan |
| 9th United States Trade Representative | |
| In office July 1, 1985 – January 20, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Bill Brock |
| Succeeded by | Carla Anderson Hills |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clayton Keith Yeutter
December 10, 1930 Eustis, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | March 4, 2017 (aged 86) Potomac, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Jeanne Vierk
(m. 1952; died 1991)Cristena Bach
(m. 1993) |
| Relations | 9 (grandchildren) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | University of Nebraska–Lincoln (BS, JD, MS, PhD) University of Wisconsin–Madison |
Clayton Keith Yeutter (December 10, 1930 – March 4, 2017) was an important American politician. He held several high-level jobs in the United States government. He was the United States Secretary of Agriculture under President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991. Before that, he was the United States Trade Representative from 1985 to 1989, working to improve trade with other countries.
Yeutter also led the Republican National Committee as its Chairman from 1991 to 1992. Later, he served as a special advisor to President Bush in 1992. After his time in government, he worked as a senior advisor at a law firm in Washington, D.C. He was born in Eustis, Nebraska.
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Growing Up and School
Clayton Yeutter was born in Eustis, Nebraska, on December 10, 1930. This was during a tough time in American history, known as the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Even with a successful career in politics, he always felt connected to his farming roots. He once said he wanted to stay in Nebraska and be a farmer.
He finished high school in Eustis in 1948. Then, he went to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was a top student, graduating in 1952 with the highest honors in agriculture. He was even named the "Outstanding Animal Husbandry Graduate" in the whole United States.
After college, Yeutter joined the United States Air Force during the Korean War. This allowed him to earn money for graduate school. From 1957 to 1975, he managed a large farm in Nebraska. He also stayed in the Air Force Reserve until 1977.
While farming, Yeutter also taught at the University of Nebraska. He studied agricultural economics and law. He earned a law degree (J.D.) in 1963, graduating first in his class. By 1966, he also earned a Ph.D. in agricultural economics.
Working in Government and Business
Yeutter started his political career in 1967 as the Chief of Staff for the Governor of Nebraska. He helped the Governor work with the Department of Agriculture and state schools. He also helped pass new laws.
In 1968, he moved to Colombia to direct a large farming assistance program. This program helped improve agriculture in Colombia.
After returning to the U.S., Yeutter worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He helped manage consumer services and international farming programs. He even helped solve a trade disagreement between the U.S. and Europe over cheese.
In 1975, he became the Deputy Special Trade Representative. In this role, he acted like an ambassador for trade, negotiating with other countries. He left public service in 1977.
Leading the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
From 1978 to 1985, Yeutter was the President and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. This was a huge financial market where people traded futures. Under his leadership, the amount of trading grew a lot. He also helped bring in more international investors.
United States Trade Representative
In 1985, Yeutter returned to government as the U.S. Trade Representative under President Ronald Reagan. He worked to open up foreign markets for American products. He helped pass a major trade law in 1988. He also worked on important trade agreements, like the one between the U.S. and Canada.
Yeutter was known for being independent. He worked hard to create a strong U.S. trade policy. He also dealt with trade issues with countries like Japan and South Korea.
In 1987, he made a comment about the U.S.-Canada trade agreement. He said it might risk Canadian culture. This caused a big stir in Canada, with their Prime Minister calling his remarks "stunning ignorance."
Secretary of Agriculture
From 1989 to 1991, Yeutter served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture for President George H. W. Bush. He was excited about this role because of his love for farming.
His main job was to work on a new "farm bill." This bill helps guide U.S. farming policies for several years. The previous bill in 1985 had given a lot of financial help to farmers. Yeutter's work on the 1990 farm bill helped remove some of those subsidies.
Republican National Committee Chairman
In 1991, Yeutter became the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. This group leads the Republican Party. He took over during a challenging time for the party.
Yeutter focused on making the party financially stable again. He also worked on important political campaigns across the country.
Counselor to the President
In 1992, President George H. W. Bush named Yeutter as a special counselor. This was a very important job, helping the President with domestic policy. Yeutter also helped guide the President's economic and domestic councils.
Later Life
After leaving public service in 1993, Yeutter worked as a senior advisor at a law firm. He also served on the boards of many large companies. These included ConAgra Foods, Caterpillar Inc., and Texas Instruments. He continued to be involved in business and agriculture.
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Family and Personal Life
Clayton Yeutter married his first wife, Jeanne Vierk, in 1952. They had four children together. Jeanne was involved in supporting the wives of cabinet members during the George H. W. Bush administration.
After Jeanne passed away, Yeutter married Cristena Bach in 1993. Cristena had also worked in government for Presidents Reagan and Bush. They adopted three daughters.
Clayton Yeutter passed away on March 4, 2017, at his home in Potomac, Maryland. He was 86 years old and had colon cancer.
Awards and Recognition
Yeutter received many special awards and honorary degrees from universities. These included Clemson University, Georgetown University, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
In 2012, he was given an honorary award from New Zealand. This was for his work in improving relations between New Zealand and the United States.
In 2014, a statue of Yeutter was placed at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. It is in the Jeanne Yeutter Garden, named after his first wife. This honored his achievement as Secretary of Agriculture.
He was also recognized by the American Society of Agronomy for his contributions to agricultural science.
Works
- Yeutter, Clayton K. (March 24, 1992). "When 'Fairness' Isn't Fair". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/24/opinion/when-fairness-isn-t-fair.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm.
- Yeutter, Clayton (September 8, 2003). "Cancun – the Heavy Lifting Lies Ahead". Cordell Hull Institute. http://www.cordellhullinstitute.org/policy/Yeutter.pdf.
- Yeutter, Clayton (October 2003). "Cancun: Now What?". The Chain Letter (International Food and Agribusiness Management Association) 2 (4): 2. https://www.ifama.org/publications/chainletter/cmsdocs/v2i4.PDF.
- Clayton Yeutter; Warren Maruyama (December 14, 2005). "Doha deal can be struck beyond Hong Kong". London Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/fb8c2514-6cd2-11da-90c2-0000779e2340.html.
- Yeutter, Clayton (July 14, 2010). "KORUS – Are There Shortcomings? Let's Fix Them". Law360. Portfolio Media Inc.. http://www.hoganlovells.com/files/Publication/46abef70-8da2-4191-a335-cef7b2ce3500/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/44c8edc5-88f3-4ed7-bc55-d7c43328a204/Yeutter.pdf.
- Clayton Yeutter; Warren Maruyama (November 22, 2010). "Japan at a Trade Crossroads". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704243904575629912190935390.
- Yeutter, Clayton (December 1, 2010). "The Trans Pacific Partnership Needs Japan". Law360. Portfolio Media Inc.. http://www.law360.com/articles/211840/the-trans-pacific-partnership-needs-japan.
