Pictured: Teresa Miller, Chief Programs & Partnership Officer at Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA Northeast, shares her views at a European Parliament event
In December (2024), a delegation from the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA) visited the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands to discuss climate-smart agriculture with government and industry stakeholders. Their objective was to share information about U.S. policies, programs and practices, address misconceptions and learn more about EU approaches to sustainable agriculture.
The delegation included:
- Jason Hafemeister, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, USDA
- Nick Gardner, USSA Management Council Chair and Senior VP, Sustainability and Multilateral Affairs, the U.S. Dairy Export Council
- Teresa Miller, USSA Management Council and Chief Programs & Partnership Officer at Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA – Northeast
- Eric Coronel, Director of Science & Research, Field to Market
They engaged with government officials, farmer groups, industry associations and university researchers, with highlights including a seminar in the European Parliament and a dialogue with the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture at Westminster, London. Discussions focused on topics such as measurement, verification, standards and how different regulatory systems or voluntary approaches can achieve the same beneficial outcomes for society and the planet.
Nick Gardner, Chair of the USSA Management Council, noted that while there are differences in approaches to sustainability, the mission successfully highlighted common ground between the U.S. and the EU. “We share many of the same concerns, such as ensuring that sustainability is profitable for farmers and that they have access to the right tools and technologies to meet regulatory and marketplace demands. We also agree on the importance of the entire supply chain rewarding and investing in sustainable production.”
Mission Highlights
Highlights from the week-long mission included:
- A roundtable with the NFU (National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales) and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) followed by a seminar at the U.S. Embassy in London with industry stakeholders
- A dialogue with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture at Westminster in London about sustainability metrics and grower engagement programs in the U.S.
- A meeting with the European Commission Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG AGRI) on incentives for agricultural sustainability
- A joint seminar in the European Parliament with Farm Europe on Driving Competitiveness: Transatlantic Dialogue for Sustainable Farming
- Discussions with the Dutch Retailers’ Association (CBL) and the Dutch Young Farmers Association about the impacts of EU and Dutch policies on agriculture
- A visit to Wageningen University to meet experts in plant sciences, animal sciences, and ecolabelling and sustainability