Andrew Cotton serves as a Director of Government Relations for Allen F. Johnson & Associates (AFJ). Mr. Cotton brings a unique combination of real business experience in food and agriculture as well as an understanding of this industry’s trade, farm policies, and state and federal regulations. His management and analytical skills have proven invaluable to AFJ agriculture and food clients.

Mr. Cotton grew up in the agriculture industry and brings hands on experience in nearly every aspect of the fresh produce industry: growing, packing, grower accounting, shipping logistics, inventory management, and wholesale market and retail sales. He has extensive experience in business development and identifying international partners to find import and export opportunities. These partnerships have covered fruits, nuts, berries, and many other products and various countries in Latin America, Asia, Europe and Oceana.

For AFJ, Mr. Cotton has produced regular reports on trade and agriculture policy developments, market trends, pricing, and sales opportunities. He has also been involved in direct grower marketing, finding clients and growing partners in different regions in the world. He has been directly engaged in optimizing the efficiency of packing practices and logistics of fresh produce.

 Mr. Cotton clerked for the United States Senate Committee on Finance and worked at the United States Trade Representative Office of the General Counsel. In these roles, he researched and analyzed trade agreements, World Trade Organization cases, foreign trade laws, e-commerce legal issues, and many other trade related issues. 

Mr. Cotton graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California and also has a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management and studies law at American University Washington College of Law. His family still grows cherries, walnuts, and blueberries in the Central Valley of California.