You might have noticed headlines lately about U.S.-EU agricultural trade, and specifically, the need for Europe to remove draconian regulations on American ag, as U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue explains in Euractiv—an essential move if we’re to work together to feed the world in a sustainable way.
What he says:Writing in independent European news outlet Euractiv, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue calls on the EU to “remove constraints to the adoption of innovative new approaches and technologies, including overly burdensome and unnecessary regulatory restrictions” on agriculture technology.
The global population is growing—and while the United States has “embraced innovation and technology in agriculture to solve this challenge,” the EU continues to heavily regulate and even ban technology like genetically modified crops.
But we must work together. Representing “the most productive farmers on the planet,” the U.S. and EU need to “work together to solve the next great challenge facing us, which is to produce enough food, with fewer inputs, to feed a growing world population,” he explains.
Specifically, he touts environmental and economic benefits of “improved crop varieties and crop management practices” in the United States, and how technology has led to greater food security for the population and financial security for farmers.
So, what's next? The U.S. and EU have been in a tit-for-tat trade war for a few years, though EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said he hoped the deal could be reached by March 18, according to reports. But agriculture is a big sticking point.
And it looks like the EU might be making moves to speed up the ag biotech approval process, according to POLITICO Europe, though TBD.
Andrew’s Advice: Because of its market power, Europe’s regulatory system is a major barrier to entry for the biotechnology industry that prevents new technologies from being deployed around the world to the benefit of farmers, consumers, and the environment. The biotechnology industry needs a more efficient regulatory system in Europe that is better aligned with international rules and standards so that countries can better utilize biotechnology to achieve their Sustainable Development Goals.
– Andrew Connor, BIO's Senior Manager of International Affairs
More Agriculture & Environment News:
Bloomberg: Trump to pare biofuel waivers for refineries on court ruling
“Trump administration officials have decided to pare the number of oil refineries granted waivers from biofuel mandates…That approach means that only a handful of oil refineries—those that have consistently won exemptions since 2008—likely will qualify for the waivers going forward, down from dozens in recent years.”