Pictured left to right: Mr. Adam Nowak, Poland; Mr. Vlastimil Zedek, Czech Republic; and Ms. Paz Fentes Piñeiro, Spain.
In mid-October, the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA) hosted three European Union (EU) officials for a Climate Smart Agriculture mission to the United States. The mission aimed to enhance understanding of U.S. conservation programs and highlight U.S. leadership in agricultural sustainability. The officials were also encouraged to share their countries’ sustainability approaches to explore potential harmonization in the measurement, monitoring, reporting, verification (MMRV), and recognition of best practices across different landscapes and sectors.
The participants included Mr. Adam Nowak, Deputy Minister of State for Agriculture from Poland; Mr. Vlastimil Zedek, Director of the Department for the Environment and Organic Farming at the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture; and Ms. Paz Fentes Piñeiro, Deputy Director General for arable and industrial crops and olive groves at Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture.
During the program, the EU officials engaged with USDA agencies, learning about the wide range of programs available to farmers under the U.S. Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. They also participated in a roundtable discussion with USSA members in Washington, D.C., that demonstrated a cross-sectoral commitment to sustainability. USSA members in attendance were the U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Dairy Export Council, the Almond Board of California, the American Peanut Council, USA Rice, U.S. Wheat Associates, U.S. Meat Export Federation, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
The EU officials also visited several farms and toured the Marquis Energy biorefinery, which produces low-carbon feed and fuel and exemplifies the bioeconomy in practice. The group learned about Marquis’ plans and new ideas to increase the sustainability of both the transportation sector and the aviation industry in the near future.
Other program highlights included a day at Iowa State University (ISU). The EU officials were particularly impressed by the creative public-private climate mitigation and adaptation solutions presented by researchers at the Bioeconomy Institute and USDA Midwest Climate Hub based at the university.
The EU officials appreciated the insights they gained and the connections they made during their visit. Vlastimil Zedek remarked, “I think the whole week in the U.S. was one of my best investments. Since returning, I have already met with some of our Czech researchers responsible for climate modelling to share my learnings. There is also an ongoing discussion in our country about turning biomass into energy, agro-photovoltaic panels, and conservation measures to reduce soil loss and erosion. Indeed, enhancing agriculture to be more sustainable is discussed all over the world. I might very well be using all the contacts we made during the trip.”
Adam Nowak was struck by the U.S. dedication to tackling agricultural sustainability issues, saying, “I’m very pleased with our time in the United States. Over the last five days, we had many intensive and fascinating meetings with USDA and trade associations. It’s clear that American farmers and the U.S. administration are committed to addressing sustainability challenges.”
Paz Fentes Piñeiro echoed these positive sentiments, remarking on the strong commitment to soil health evident in the U.S. She emphasized the importance of future collaboration, “It would be valuable to continue these missions, allowing others in EU agriculture, not just those from the administration, to experience U.S. sustainability efforts, which are particularly enriching as we work towards designing a more sustainable Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).”
She added, “I’m already applying what I’ve learned to my daily work and sharing it with colleagues. I now have a broader perspective on the U.S. approach to agricultural sustainability.”
The mission was deemed a success, fulfilling USSA’s goal of providing information and context to stakeholders on the sustainability of U.S. agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Building on the success of this mission, USSA plans to conduct similar missions in 2025.