UK and US urged to work together for sustainable agriculture and food security

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has called on both the UK and US to work together to create a more secure and sustainable future for agriculture. In a speech at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Winter Conference in Washington DC on February 15th, 2023, the Secretary emphasized the importance of UK and US cooperation in promoting sustainable food production and global food security.

The NASDA plays a significant role in US agriculture, representing the Departments of Agriculture in all 50 States and four US territories. The conference marked the first time a foreign minister addressed the NASDA, demonstrating the strength of UK and US collaboration on sustainable agriculture, food security, and improving nature and biodiversity.

The Secretary's speech followed the recent launch of the UK Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, a five-year delivery plan to halt and reverse the decline in nature. The plan highlights the importance of ensuring nature and food production go hand-in-hand, a shared goal between the UK and the US. The two countries are developing landmark reforms to incentivize and reward environmental stewardship while harnessing new markets and tackling threats posed to food security by climate change.

The Secretary paid tribute to farmers in Ukraine, the breadbasket of Europe, for their efforts in promoting food security across the globe. Despite the turmoil of war, Ukraine managed to harvest a significant amount of grain in 2022. The initiative to get grain from Ukraine to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world is an act of global humanity at its very best.

The Secretary's visit to the US included meetings with US government officials, Senators, and CEOs from agri-tech start-ups. She also visited a brewery that makes craft beers from a combination of American and imported British ingredients, North Carolina State University's new plant science facility, and the Alexandria AgTech Innovation Centre.

Thérèse Coffey's speech highlights the crucial role that the UK and the US must play in promoting sustainable agriculture and global food security. By working together, the two countries can develop innovative solutions to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, promote environmental stewardship, and improve the prosperity and food security of every generation to come.

References:

"Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey to address US agriculture conference", AgenParl.eu, February 14, 2023, https://agenparl.eu/environment-secretary-therese-coffey-to-address-us-agriculture-conference/
"Thérèse Coffey's speech to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture", GOV.UK, February 15, 2023, https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/therese-coffeys-speech-to-the-national-association-of-state-departments-of-agriculture
"Environment Secretary Coffey to highlight UK-US cooperation on sustainable agriculture and food security", Upstream Online, February 15, 2023, http://upge.wn.com/?query=environment+secretary+coffey&pagenum=1&language_id=1&template=cheetah-photo-search%2Findex.txt
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