A panel representing farmers, equipment and technology providers highlighted innovative trends in agricultural practices that will help address the challenge of producing enough food, fiber and fuel to feed more than nine billion people by 2050. The seminar – Agricultural Innovation – Planting the Seeds for a Sustainable Future – held at the world EXPO in Milan on October 9 was supported by the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA), the USA Pavilion organizers, the United States Department of Agriculture and the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy. Under Secretary for Farm & Foreign Agricultural Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Michael T. Scuse, delivered the keynote address.
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r Secretary Scuse pointed out that “all countries must be willing to provide an environment that facilitates sustainable development. This includes progressive, science-based policies that enable the creation and
commercialization of innovative products and technologies.” The United States is doing research to improve agricultural productivity by creating crops that better tolerate drought, disease, pests and salinity; studying pre- and post-harvest technologies to reduce crop losses; and looking to understand the factors that go into nutrition in order to provide a better, safer, healthier diet for future generations.
The Under Secretary acknowledged that different countries will take different routes, but explained the policies of one country or countries should not take away the choices of another country or its citizens, especially in the developing world, where the impacts of climate and food insecurity are felt most. He stated, “The cultural preferences of some consumers in wealthy nations shouldn’t impede access to safe and affordable foods by people in poorer nations or limit the ability of their trading partners to export agricultural products that the science says is safe.“
Under Secretary Scuse was joined at the seminar by USSA members Ms. Laura Batcha, CEO of the Organic Trade Association; Ms. Laura Foell, farmer from Iowa; Dr. Sally Schneider, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; Mr. Luigi Coffano, Du Pont Lead, Italy; Mr. Paolo Andreone, Head of Marketing & Communications, New Holland, and; Mr. David Green, Senior Technical Adviser of the Alliance moderated the discussion.
Mr. David Green outlined the work of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance and the role of innovation in sustainability. He pointed out that sustainability is all about process improvements and innovation is at the heart of these changes. Innovation has taken U.S. agriculture from subsistence farming in the 1930s to a global food producer today.
Rai Expo published a video interview with Under Secretary Scuse and David Green of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance. The magazine AcomeAgricoltura posted an article of the event, which will be published in the December issue of the magazine. The article quoted the following statement by Under Secretary Scuse: “The cultural preferences of some consumers in wealthy nations shouldn’t impede access to safe and affordable foods by people in poorer nations or limit the ability of their trading partners to export agricultural products that the science says is safe.”
Under the headline “Big Data And Robotics: The Future Of USA Agriculture” online media outlet Top Trade Informatica published an article focusing on the role of big data, robotics and innovation in the future of U.S. agriculture.