U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary J.B. Penn, an economist who helped steer the Bush administration's negotiations at the now-stalled global trade talks at the World Trade Organization (WTO), is to resign at the end of this month, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Penn will become the chief economist of Deere & Co., the Moline, Illinois maker of farm and construction equipment. He will continue to analyze policy and trade developments and track the macro-economy, the report said.

The move signals that Deere, usually tight-lipped, is preparing to take a bigger public stand on agricultural policy, it added.

Dr. Penn, 61, has argued for shrinking certain subsidy checks to U.S. farmers in order to win trade concessions from other WTO members.

The Bush administration has not yet named a successor to Dr. Penn, according to the report.

Source: Xinhua