U.S. Research Advances Sustainable Water Use in Agriculture

A half-circle spinning irrigation system waters an Idaho potato field. Photo: USDA

The 2012 drought in the U.S. Midwest affected both farmers in the region and consumers halfway around the world who rely on U.S. grain exports, according to a noted water management and development expert. Globally, water and agricultural productivity are interconnected challenges, said Roberto Lenton, director of the Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. “Countries must find ways to provide food security for the world’s growing population while ensuring that scarce water resources are conserved so they can be used for other critical purposes.” Lenton will participate in a session about agriculture’s role in confronting global water challenges at the Borlaug Symposium October 17–19 in Des Moines, Iowa, an event timed to highlight the themes of World Food Day, October 16. Read the full article.

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U.S.-EU Highlights

(left) Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development; (right) Kathleen Merrigan, U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary at the BioFach World Organic Fair, Nuremberg, Germany. Photo: ©European Union

European Union and United States Agree to Historic New Partnership on Organic Trade

The European Union and the United States announced today that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region. This partnership between the two largest organic-producers in the world will establish a strong foundation from which to promote organic agriculture, benefiting the growing organic industry and supporting jobs and businesses on a global scale. The organics sector in the United States and European Union is valued at more than $50 billion combined, and rising every year. Formal letters creating this partnership were signed on 15 February 2012 in Nuremberg, Germany, by Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development; Kathleen Merrigan, U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary; and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator. The signing took place at the BioFach World Organic Fair, the largest trade show for organic products in the world. Read the joint statement | U.S. Organic Industry Praises U.S.-EU Partnership in Organic Trade (2012-02-15)

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