Statement by the U.S. Secretary for Agriculture at the G7 Agriculture Press Conference

Press Conference at the G7 Agriculture in Bergamo, Sunday October 15, 2017

“The Sector in which we are involved – food, nutrition, agriculture – is very noble”

October 15, 2017
Bergamo

(transcript from audio file)

Thank you Minister Martina for your hospitality and for all the preparation that went into the last few days; it’s been a pleasant and productive environment in which to conduct these conversations and very candid discussions among ourselves.

I think I share with my colleagues here that the sector which we are involved – food, nutrition, agriculture – is a very noble and honorable effort as we seek to solve the hunger issue all across the world. If we are going to have any expectation to meet the 2030  goal of zero hunger I think it’s our responsibility as leaders among the G7 communities, along with the European Commission, that we be honest brokers with our constituents, with our producers and with our consumers, regarding the innovation, the creativity and the technology it will take to feed not only the current world but the 2 billion people which are to come. I think the relationships that we can build in open and honest trade environments, trading based on sound science, not the mythical or worrisome types of issues which don’t have anything to do with the safety or efficacy of food, that’s how we can complete that and achieve truly zero hunger by 2030.

It’s been an honor to be with you. I thank you very much for the opportunity to be in your beautiful country and your beautiful city of Bergamo