U.S. and Ukraine Team Up to Address Global Food Security

USDA and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in an effort to address global food security and strengthen collaboration in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The MOU is designed to enhance productivity, address supply chain issues, and identify food security challenges.

“Russia’s actions are posing major threats not only to the people of Ukraine but to countries in Africa and the Middle East that rely on the grains and other staples produced in Ukraine,” said Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture, in a statement. “Russia is using food as a weapon and a tool of war to threaten the livelihoods of those around the world, and that is something the agriculture community cannot and will not stand for.”

As part of the MOU, a three-year partnership has been established between the countries that guarantees consistent sharing of information regarding crop production, emerging technologies, climate-smart practices, food security, and supply chain issues to boost productivity for both countries.

Additionally, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service will provide Ukraine with technical assistance for animal health, biosecurity, and sanitary and phytosanitary controls. “This is an important step forward and when implemented will allow us to better fight global food insecurity together,” Vilsack said.

Jeff Van Pevenage, CEO and president of Columbia Grain International, an organization that cultivates the growth of the food supply chain in the northwestern region of the United States, says that Ukraine needs the world’s support now. He adds that fostering transparency by way of the exchange of information and expertise regarding crop production, emerging technologies, climate-smart practices, food security, and supply chain issues will only boost productivity and enhance the agricultural sectors in both countries.

“U.S. farmers will help fulfill short-term demand for grain to mitigate offset and loss caused by the Russia–Ukraine crisis until infrastructure is rebuilt over time to lessen food insecurity threats,” he tells Food Quality & Safety.

The Biden-Harris Administration also plans to use the Borlaug Fellowship Program and re-establish the Cochran Fellowship Program to enhance U.S.–Ukraine collaboration and research. Myron Rabij, senior counsel at Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron, worked as an attorney in Ukraine for more than 20 years and understands well the logistical and practical difficulties grain growers face. He says these fellowship programs are essentially exchange programs for scientists, researchers, and policy makers, sending them to U.S. universities for training. The Borlaug program is more extensive and sends U.S. mentors to visit the Ukrainians as well.

“It looks like [the MOU] is geared to improve Ukrainian farming to boost productivity—better animal health better and stronger seed varieties to improve productivity of harvests—and to improve standards to facilitate export,” he says. “If the U.S. and Ukraine are now gearing to work closer in these fields, that means harvests in Ukraine will no doubt increase due to stronger U.S. seed varieties, [bringing] business to U.S. seed growers and traders. Hopefully, Ukrainian scientists and research institutes will also be able to register more of their own home-grown varieties for export to the U.S.”