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Over 40 prominent companies within the U.S. agriculture and food sectors have voiced strong backing for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), highlighting its pivotal role \u00a0“as a strategic and vital ally in their efforts to expand exports, strengthen science-based trade regulations, and protect animal health for the benefit of farmers.”<\/p>\n
An IICA press release said that in a virtual meeting with IICA\u2019s Director General, Manuel Otero, representatives from these organizations conveyed their endorsement of the Institute. They also reportedly dispatched a letter to senior U.S. officials\u2014including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer\u2014appreciating IICA\u2019s efficiency and transparency. The letter commended the organization\u2019s tangible achievements in curbing the transmission of plant and animal diseases in the Americas and its fruitful collaboration with the private sector.<\/p>\n
According to the release, the companies emphasized that IICA exemplifies an effective model among international bodies, particularly for its commitment to fostering public\u2013private partnerships.<\/p>\n
“They especially valued IICA\u2019s avoidance of unnecessary bureaucracy and its direct work with industry to promote solutions,” said the statement.<\/p>\n
During the discussion, industry representatives highlighted IICA\u2019s vital role in forging partnerships that promote science-driven transformation, establish clear trade protocols, and create economic opportunities for farmers. They also pointed out IICA\u2019s importance in counteracting efforts by some countries to impose trade barriers through regulations in multilateral settings.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the companies stressed IICA\u2019s leadership in establishing risk-based sanitary and phytosanitary systems and resisting politicized standards, which are essential for protecting rural economies and ensuring food security amid threats like African swine fever and the New World screwworm.<\/p>\n
Manuel Otero reaffirmed IICA\u2019s dedication to building authentic partnerships, emphasizing that the organization belongs not just to member states but also to farmers, the private sector, and stakeholders. He highlighted IICA\u2019s work in supporting early detection and information campaigns in collaboration with the USDA. Otero also underscored IICA\u2019s mission to advocate for agriculture\u2019s vital role in achieving food security and sustainability, stating, \u201cAgriculture is not the villain, but the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Participants in the meeting included representatives from notable organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, Bayer, Cargill, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and Pepsico, among others, reflecting broad industry support for IICA\u2019s endeavors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Over 40 prominent companies within the U.S. agriculture and food sectors have voiced strong backing for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), highlighting its pivotal role \u00a0“as a strategic and vital ally in their efforts to expand exports,…","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":345576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[34,235,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-345559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-homepage-carousel","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n