Insights and Opinion Archives

Leather and Sustainability: A Call to Action at COP29

As the world convened for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) to address some of the most pressing global challenges, the leather industry came to the table with a solution, not a problem. Kevin Latner of the Leather & Hide Council of America elaborates in an exclusive article for the USSA.

Better Seed, Better World: Plant Breeding Innovation Can Feed the World and Save the Planet

Farmers are under increasing pressure due to climate change, global conflicts, and trade disruptions. However, advances in plant breeding offer hope, writes Andy LaVigne, the President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).

Interview: USSEC’s Tarik Eluri on U.S. Soy Sustainability, From Innovation to Verification

Tarik Eluri, sustainability manager at the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), a founding member of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA), recently discussed U.S. sustainable agriculture with Spain’s Fundación Antama – a non-profit that promotes new technologies for agrifood and the environment.

Can the Feed Industry Provide the Solutions Agriculture Needs?

In a landmark move, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bovaer® - a feed ingredient that reduces enteric methane emissions from dairy cows - for use in the United States. What are the implications?

Meet Dairy Farmers the Beck Brothers – Sustainability Champions and TV Stars!

To mark National Dairy Month, we visit a New York dairy farm to look at some of the advances that have led to these improvements. Meet the Beck Brothers, the stars of a new TV documentary!

Sharing Stories to Counter Misinformation about Biotechnology

Jennie Schmidt, a third-generation farmer and registered dietitian, strongly believes in the power of storytelling. In her experience, personal narratives can help consumers better understand how our food is grown, especially when fewer people have first-hand knowledge of the agriculture industry than ever before.

Meet Larry Santos, Organic Farmer of the Year

Larry Santos of Taylor Farming in Salinas, California, has been named 2024’s Organic Farmer of the Year, recognized by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) for his outstanding contribution to organic […]

The U.S. Highlights Farmers’ Sustainability Focus

When Cedric Porter, a journalist from the UK, visited Nebraska, he found a state committed to sustainable agriculture where standards far exceed those required by law. Most grain farmers have […]

A U.S. Perspective on the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy

David Green, Executive Director of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance, discusses sustainable food systems, mirror clauses, and their meaning Through summer and the fall, U.S. farmers will harvest their crops, many […]

Alaskan Fisherman Shannon Ford Ward on Five Generations of Commercial Fishing

We spoke to Shannon about her fishing heritage, the culture she is proud to be part of, and the industry practices that will help protect Alaska’s seafood bounty for the future.

Doing What is Right on Earth Day and Every Day

Kevin Krentz, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, outlines the practices he uses to promote employee wellbeing, maintain soil health, reduce waste, and conserve natural resources.

The (Possibly) Unknown Environmental Side of U.S. Agriculture

When Jesús López Colmenarejo, a leading agrifood journalist from Grupo Editorial Agrícola in Madrid, Spain, visited Louisiana last year, his eyes were opened to the reality of sustainable U.S. agriculture.