The Honorable Allan Mustard, retired United States Ambassador and alumnus of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) will return to the University of Illinois campus on Nov. 6-7, 2019, to present the annual ACES Distinguished International Lecture and meet with students who aspire to careers in Foreign Service.

One of the most accomplished Foreign Service professionals to hail from ACES, Allan Mustard was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan in late 2014 and continued in this post until his retirement in June of 2019. He previously served as Agricultural Minister-Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. A widely recognized authority on agricultural and food aid policy, he has broad experience in guiding economic reform assistance throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Mustard’s lecture "Smoot-Hawley Redux? Who's Hurting Now?" will be on Wednesday, November 6 at 4 p.m. in the Monsanto Room at the ACES Library. He will offer perspective on current U.S. agricultural trade policy. A reception will follow. On November 7, he will meet with invited students.

Prior to his service in Turkmenistan and New Delhi, Mustard has a long list of previous appointments including serving as Agricultural Minister-Counselor, Embassy Mexico City, Mexico (2008-2011); Agricultural Minister-Counselor, Embassy Moscow, Russia (2003-2008); Fellow, Senior Seminar in Foreign Relations, Department of State (2002-2003); Assistant Deputy Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Foreign Agricultural Service (2000-2002); Agricultural Counselor, Embassy Vienna, Austria (1996-2000).

Mustard earned an M.S. in agricultural economics from the University of Illinois in 1982. He is the recipient of five Presidential Rank Awards; USDA's highest award, the Distinguished Service Honor Award; USDA's second-highest award, the Superior Honor Award (twice); the Grand Golden Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria, the highest award Austria can give to a foreigner; and numerous other Department of State and USDA performance awards. Mustard speaks Russian, German, and basic Spanish.

The College of ACES is honored to welcome Mustard back to campus. All faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends are invited to join us for his lecture.