Coffey to call for UK-US co-operation for sustainable agriculture

The UK Government has announced that Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be delivering a speech to highlight why the UK and US should continue to stand together to generate a “more secure and sustainable future for agriculture”.

Coffey’s speech will be delivered at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Winter Conference in Washington DC on 15 February 2023. In her discussion, Coffey will reportedly be outlining how UK and US co-operation is “vital” to promote sustainable food production and global food security.

With audience representatives from all 50 states and four UK territories, the UK Government has said this this speech will be the first time a foreign minister has addressed the NASDA conference.

Coffey’s speech follows the recently launched Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, a five year delivery plan to stop and reverse decline in nature.

According to the UK Government, the Environment Secretary is expected to highlight how ensuring nature and food production “go hand-in-hand is a vital shared goal between the two countries”, with both developing “landmark reforms to incentivise and reward environmental stewardship”, while also “harnessing new markets and tackling threats posed to food security by climate change”.

In her speech, Coffey is expected to explain why the UK and US “must strengthen the resilience of our environment, our businesses, and our communities, and improve the prosperity and food security of every generation to come”.

DEFRA appoints new Secretary of State

Coffey will also reportedly be highlighting farmers’ significance in global food systems and the way she believes they are “the first to understand that making space for nature can and must go alongside food production”.

The Environment Secretary will also be paying tribute to farmers in Ukraine for “their efforts in continuing to promote food security across the globe”. Coffey is also expected to outline the UK’s continued support for Ukraine.