“I started Ag Aligned Global because I saw a need for better connections between the science of crop protection, the realities of farming, and the regulations that influence agricultural trade.

For more than sixteen years with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, I worked on international pesticide regulations, residue standards, and cooperative residue research. That work gave me the opportunity to collaborate with governments, researchers, and industry partners around the world. Along the way, I saw how challenging it could be for growers, exporters, and regulators to navigate a constantly changing landscape of residue requirements and market expectations. Even when everyone shared the same goal—safe food and reliable trade—the science, policy, and practical realities did not always align.

What made those challenges especially meaningful to me is that I wasn't viewing them only as a regulator. I am also a commercial grower of cherries, pears, and apples in Oregon's Hood River Valley. The decisions I made professionally were often connected to the same kinds of decisions I was making in my own orchard. I understood both the importance of sound science and the practical constraints growers face every day.

Looking ahead, my vision for Ag Aligned Global is to strengthen that bridge between science, regulation, and the day‑to‑day realities of agricultural production – and communicate science and agricultural policy simply and clearly. Global markets are evolving quickly, and growers, exporters, and regulators need practical, transparent pathways to keep pace.

I’m committed to expanding partnerships that build regulatory capacity, generate high‑quality data, and support fair, predictable trade for specialty crops and emerging markets. As Ag Aligned Global grows, the goal remains simple: empower agricultural systems that are safer, more resilient, and better aligned with the people who depend on them.” — —Jason Sandahl, AAG Founder & Director