The world needs to work together to transform the way we produce, consume, and think about food, said Beth Bechdol, deputy director-general at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Summit.
“This is an agenda that must be owned by everyone,” said Bechdol during her keynote address at the virtual summit.
Farmers comprised a quarter of the audience in the sixth annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit, which attracted a record 800 attendees, according to a statement.
Organizations representing U.S. dairy, commodity crop, specialty crop, beef and pork industries hosted the event.
For the agriculture industry, the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are climate change, food waste, labor and treatment of workers.
“Investors are increasingly seeking a strong link between corporate sustainability performance and financial performance, which is why it’s important for agriculture to take note and make sure we are prepared to accelerate these areas.”
Krysta Harden, executive vice president of global environmental strategy for Dairy Management Inc
COVID-19 has also heightened public awareness around food security. A panel discussed how food and agriculture can build sustainable supply chains in a disrupted world, according to a statement.
