Members of the International Oilseeds Producers' Dialogue (IOPD) convened their XXIV meeting on August 29, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa. The meeting occurred as the issues of food security and the affordability of food and energy have come into renewed focus. Amidst these challenges, IOPD members adopted the following declaration:
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused unprecedented stress on the global food, fertilizer and energy system. The war has disrupted access to food and energy supply chains, jeopardized the food security of millions globally, and interrupted the availability and affordability of fertilizer and other essential inputs for the world's farmers. These effects are being felt globally, but are particularly acute for the most vulnerable and food insecure in Africa and Asia, where the fight against hunger is a daily challenge.
The shocks caused by Russia's actions have only compounded the ongoing effects resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. IOPD members call for world leaders to work together on coordinated responses to these crises, including through multilateral institutions for the benefit of the world's most vulnerable populations.
Farmers around the world are also ready to step up. Demand for vegetable oils and oilseed products continues to be strong and oilseed producers are well-positioned to be consistent, reliable and sustainable partners in addressing these crises. Vegetable oils and protein meals provide a nutrient-dense food source for humans and animals and are a readily available, renewable, climate-smart energy alternatives to fossil fuels. IOPD members are committed to growing sustainable crops in harmony with the environment and our communities and being part of the solution to global food and energy insecurities, all while ensuring that family farms remain economically viable for current and future generations.
To maximize our contributions and to ensure producers remain resilient to the complex, multi-faceted challenges facing our food systems today, IOPD members call on our governments to advance the following policies as the foundation of both national and international programs to ensure food security and sustainability:
Science and innovation play a central role in meeting global food and energy security needs.
Science has long been agriculture's guiding post, and decisions must be based on sound science. Regulatory environments and policies must encourage innovation and ensure producers access to a full suite of tools, including new seed development technologies such as gene editing and biotechnology, crop protection products, soil nutrients and precision agriculture. The availability of new tools and technologies enables producers to withstand the pressures threatening crop yield, remain resilient in the face of climate change, and meet production demands in response to global food and fuel availability crises. Our producers have a long and shared history as early adopters of new knowledge, technology, equipment, and best management practices to ensure the adaptability and viability of their farms. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks that facilitate innovation have benefits for the world's producers and consumers alike.
Comprehensive trade liberalization is required to meet global food and renewable energy demand.
Covid-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have threatened the availability of food, energy and critical inputs needed in agri-food production. In some cases, trade restrictive measures have been used to limit exports, disrupting global food supply chains and access for millions of consumers. These developments build on years of growing protectionism worldwide, and farmers continue to worry about the negative impact trade barriers have on our competitiveness and access to innovation. COVID-19 and the Ukraine War have demonstrated the importance of open borders to the flow of food and energy supplies globally and its critical role in the global economy. Further trade liberalization is needed and includes a renewed WTO programme on agriculture, an enhanced Codex Alimentarius and a commitment to risk proportionate science-based sanitary and phytosanitary measures, including aligned maximum residue limits (MRLs) and timely approvals of modern plant breeding technologies such as gene editing and biotechnology. It is crucial that any solution takes into account the different regulatory frameworks between areas of production and consumption, particularly between Europe and its trading partners.
Input availability is a serious threat to food production.
The availability of fuel, fertilizer and other inputs has been volatile, and farmers have struggled to secure supplies of goods essential to their operations. In addition, non-science-based proposals that seek to artificially limit or cap fertilizer or pesticide use in certain production regions threaten farmers' economic viability and directly impact the availability of food supplies for the world's consumers. Governments should work together to facilitate the flow of crop inputs and their raw materials to ensure farmers have the right tools available to maintain production and combat food insecurity. Furthermore, arbitrary and politically motivated efforts to manage or cap fertilizer or pesticide use should be rejected in favour of outcome rather than practice-based approaches. Governments should reaffirm their international commitments to policies that are supported by robust scientific evidence and are not trade-distorting.
No one solution will address climate or production challenges.
Our producers are long-standing stewards of their land. They rely on it for their families' livelihood and have made significant contributions to sustainability over the years by sequestering carbon in their soils, preserving biodiversity by maintaining natural vegetation and habitats, incorporating crop rotations and no-till farming systems, and adopting best management practices to optimize water, energy, pesticide, and fertilizer use. Because farming practices and types vary by geography and context, no one solution will address climate or production challenges. However, our producers share the common goal of meeting evolving and growing demand for food, being recognized as solution providers in the fight against climate change, and ensuring more sustainable production systems and continual advancements in agriculture.
IOPD Members:
- American Soybean Association (ASA) – United States
- Asociación Argentina de Productores en Siembra Directa (Aapresid) – Argentina
- Asociación de Productores de Soja, Oleaginosas y Cereales (APS) – Paraguay
- Associação dos Produtores de Soja e Milho (Aprosoja) – Brasil
- Associação dos Produtores de Soja e Milho de Mato Grosso (Aprosoja Mato Grosso) – Brasil
- Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF) – Australia
- Cámara Paraguaya de Exportadores y Comercializadores de Cereales y Oleaginosas (CAPECO) - Paraguay
- Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) – Canada
- Fédération française des producteurs d'oléagineux et de protéagineux (FOP) – France
- Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) – Canada
- Mesa Tecnológica de Oleaginosos (MTO) – Uruguay
- National Farmers Union (NFU) – United Kingdom
- U.S. Canola Association – United States
- Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) – Germany
- U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) – United States