Food and Agriculture Archives

Business Groups Recommend WHO Engagement with Private Sector

Published on May 16, 2015

WHO_hq_full_sizeThe World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations public health arm, is updating its procedures for working with non-governmental and business interests. USCIB has followed these deliberations for the past year and has offered recommendations that argue for consistent treatment of all constituencies, without discrimination against private sector entities, and that enable public-private partnerships.

The sheer scale of world health challenges requires all stakeholders to be actively involved in addressing public health challenges. However, USCIB and other associations have expressed concern that the some proposals relating to these WHO procedures could further limit the WHO’s ability to fully benefit from the private sector’s practical expertise, resources and research.

On May 14, USCIB and five other business associations signed a letter to U.S. cabinet officials at the Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services stating concern “about proposals on the table that could unjustifiably restrict the WHO’s ability to engage with the private sector in support of its mission.”

The signatories urged the United States to ensure that the WHO adopts a framework that applies equally to all stakeholders, and that allows the organization to benefit from resources wherever they reside.

“If the WHO adopts a framework that improperly excludes or unjustifiably restricts engagement with the private sector, it will not only endanger the WHO’s own credibility and functioning but also set a damaging precedent that could discourage ongoing public-private partnerships and private sector involvement in other international fora,” the letter stated.

Norine Kennedy, USCIB’s vice president for international engagement, energy and environment, added: “In an era where health crises have become increasingly international, such as the recent Ebola outbreak, the WHO should make full use of its leadership and resources by pursuing global health responses through multi-stakeholder initiatives in which the private sector has a vital role going forward.”

Private Sector Perspective on Food Security Challenges

Published on May 14, 2015

28 July 2006, Rome - A general view of FAO Headquarters.USCIB and its members participated in bilateral meetings that included close to 60 countries at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) this week to discuss business priorities on food security, agriculture trade and other nutrition issues. This year’s meeting of the Private Sector Mechanism marked the most diverse industry delegation yet, with participants spanning over 16 countries across five continents, representing the entire agriculture value chain.

The Private Sector Mechanism is a network that coordinates input from business into the UN Committee on World Food Security. This year’s group includes representatives from USCIB members including Monsanto, The Coca-Cola Company, Mead Johnson and the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

“These meetings are great because companies are able to have a real intimate conversations with governments about the programs and/or partnership they have in place to address issues affecting food security and nutrition,” said Helen Medina, USCIB’s vice president for product policy and innovation. “Often government officials are not aware of how the private sector is already engaged. These talks not only inform the policy discussion but also spark ideas on how the private sector can further work with governments in mutually beneficial manner. These dialogues are a crucial to building relationships and trust so that we can work together to combat global hunger and nutrition challenges.”

Industry representatives also discussed possible side events at the UN Committee on Food Security (CFS) to be held in October related to empowering women in agriculture and supply chains and the important linkages between trade and food security.

During the CFS there is an opportunity for a broad cross-section of stakeholders to come together to address the barriers to women’s productive participation in food supply chains and entrepreneurship in an integrated way. The proposed event would convene relevant organizations – including members of the FAO’s Private Sector Mechanism, local country delegates, NGOs, academics, and intergovernmental organizations – in a roundtable discussion focused on “Women, Farmers, Entrepreneurs, Mothers: Solutions at Nexus of Agriculture, Nutrition and Gender.” The goal of this session will be to identify proven solutions, explore collaboration and establish leadership in this field.

In addition, USCIB and other industry groups hope to showcase the benefits of trade and to explain that trade is an important component of the agriculture and food system. Opening up global, regional and national trading opportunities for small- and medium-scale producers will be key to addressing the challenges related to food security and nutrition, particularly in developing countries.

USCIB Cautions Against WHO Motion to Ban Chemicals

Published on February 27, 2015

chemicals_globe_lo-resThe World Health Organization recently urged the United Nations Commission on Narcotic drugs to ban two chemical substances commonly found in electronics, telecommunications and other products following findings that these substances can be used for illicit purposes.

USCIB and its membership appreciate the WHO’s concern regarding the misuse of these two chemicals, 1,4-butanedio (BDO) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). However, in a submission last week to the Federal Register Notice to help inform the U.S. government on the issue, USCIB urged the FDA to consider the potential adverse economic impact of banning the use or restricting the manufacturing of those substances.

“GBL and BDO are high-volume industrial chemicals with multiple uses that touch nearly every part of the economy,” USCIB wrote in a statement. “The chemical industry takes significant steps to educate its customers and coordinate with regulators and law enforcement authorities to help prevent diversion and misuse of its products.”

Furthermore, the industries that manufacture and use BDO and GBL have adopted product stewardship programs that supplement the requirements of existing laws.

Banning these substances entirely would hurt a wide range of U.S. industries. Given the critical importance of GBL and BDO to the U.S. economy, the product stewardship programs that are in place to help prevent the misuses of these substances and the potentially devastating impacts of listing under the Psychotropic Convention, USCIB urges the U.S. Government to oppose listing these chemicals under the Convention.

 

USCIB Urges WHO to Take Full Advantage of Private-Sector Engagement

Published on January 22, 2015
World Health Organization Headquarters, Geneva.
World Health Organization Headquarters, Geneva.

The sheer scale of global health challenges, such as the recent Ebola crises and the growing incidences of non-communicable diseases which are responsible for 60 percent of the world’s premature deaths, require everyone to be on board to address world health.

The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations public health arm, recently issued a framework document on its engagement with non-state actors, the “NSA Framework”. USCIB and other associations are concerned that the framework is too stringent, as it would limit the WHO’s ability to fully benefit from the private sector’s practical expertise, resources and research.

Joining six other business associations whose memberships span every sector in every region of the world, USCIB signed a letter to U.S. Department of State officials highlighting the importance of strengthening private sector engagement with the WHO. The NSA Framework suggests that close engagement with the private sector would lead to conflicts of interest. Such concern is misplaced, as USCIB’s letter states:

“[T]he NSA Framework suggests that WHO engagement of private sector actors raises a unique potential for conflicts of interest, a premise that disregards the wide set of motives, including financial incentives, that drive NGO activity. In truth, engagement of for-profit entities and their representatives carries with it an inherent degree of transparency of interests that is not necessarily available regarding the motivations and interests of NGOs. Just as importantly, an examination of the motives of non-state actors is simply not necessary to an evidence-based review of the facts those actors may raise to the WHO’s attention.”

BusinessEurope, an association representing businesses in the European Union, sent a letter to EU representatives expressing similar concerns about the WHO’s NSA Framework.

Norine Kennedy, USCIB’s vice president for international engagement, energy and environment, added: “In an era where health crises become increasingly international, such as the recent Ebola outbreak, the WHO can only make full use of its leadership and resources by making global health responses a multi-stakeholder initiative in which the private sector has a vital role going forward.”

Business Fully Engaged at 2nd International Nutrition Conference

Published on November 21, 2014

ICN2_BannerThe Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) wrapped up on Friday, ending an inter-governmental conference aimed at addressing the twin global threats of malnutrition and obesity as governments pledged to align national policies with nutrition objectives.

USCIB attended the conference, organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization at the FAO headquarters in Rome from November 19 to 21, as part of a private sector delegation of over 90 people from more than 20 countries. USCIB and member companies were on the ground in Rome to make the case for the positive role the private sector plays in nutrition and agriculture.

USCIB, along with the International Agri-Food Network, developed a list of key private sector messages that were delivered during the ICN2 plenary:

Private Sector Key Messages

Nutrition & ICN2 meeting 19-21 November 2014

Addressing Nutrition Globally

  • Furthering nutritional goals depends on agricultural production and access, particularly to address the needs of women, children and the most vulnerable.
  • Good nutrition promotes broad-based, diverse diets and provides consumer choice.
  • Innovation, research, and education are essential to accelerating nutritional improvements.

Taking Action

  • The private sector is necessary to increase the scope of financial and human resources in order to tackle nutritional challenges on a large scale.
  • Expanding trade raises the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies, which are necessary for combating global hunger.
  • Empowering women is crucial for improving nutrition, so governments should promote policies that help women become farmers, traders and entrepreneurs.

Private Sector Engagement is Essential

  • At ICN2, the private sector delegation included 90 private sector representatives from 24 countries.
  • The private sector appreciates the support of member-states in encouraging the participation of non-state actors in ICN2 and encourages future plans to engage them in action plans.
  • The private sector is committed to public-private partnerships that support public health strategies.
The Second International Conference on Nutrition took place at the FAO headquarters in Rome from November 19 to 21
The Second International Conference on Nutrition took place at the FAO headquarters in Rome from November 19 to 21

“The private sector is an important ally in fighting hunger and malnutrition, therefore the FAO is committed to strengthening its partnership with private sector,” said FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva. “There is a need for improved nutrition and coordination across sectors. This needs to be done in dialogue with non-state actors including the private sector.”

On November 18, Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director for product policy and innovation, chaired a side-meeting with government officials – Kevin Concannon, undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Ambassador Peter McGovern, Canada’s ambassador to Italy; and Lois Brown, Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.

“The meeting was friendly,” Medina said. “The private sector shared its main messages while government officials reiterated how pleased they were to see a big private sector delegation at ICN2.”

Throughout the conference Medina and other private sector representatives engaged with delegates to promote business’s positive role in the nutrition space. Many governments supported business’s engagement in the dialogue.

During the plenary, discussion was intense over how the agriculture and food systems should address obesity. Speakers stressed the importance of reducing salt, sugar and fat in people’s diets, as well as reducing processed foods. Malnutrition received less attention.

The conference ended with participants agreeing that there is a clear need for a whole of government approach to nutrition. In particular, ICN2 has underscored that it is crucial to have policy coherence the health and agriculture agencies to deliver action on the nutritional challenges of each nation. Thus far, there has been a no coordinated approach on nutrition.

Looking ahead, there will be a push to include more nutritional targets in the UN’s Post-2015 Development Agenda and in the Sustainable Development Goals. USCIB will continue to work with the International Agri-Food Network to ensure that its members can engage with the FAO and relevant UN agencies as the ICN2 recommendations move forward.

Improving nutrition is a collective business (FAO)

Staff contacts: Helen Medina

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USCIB Represents Business at International Conference on Nutrition

Published on November 13, 2014

FAO BuildingsMore than half the world’s population suffers from malnutrition. The Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), jointly organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization, will convene government officials to craft a policy framework for addressing the world’s nutrition challenges. Held at the FAO headquarters in Rome from November 19 to 21, ICN2 hopes to keep nutrition high on the international development agenda.

USCIB will be part of a private-sector delegation of nearly 100 people attending the conference, during which member country representatives will pledge to develop national strategies to address malnutrition.

USCIB member companies will also send representatives to Rome for ICN2, including the Coca-Cola Company, Dupont, McDonalds, Meade Johnson, Monsanto, Nestle and Pepsi. Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director for product policy and innovation, will be part of the private sector delegation in Rome.

ICN2 provides an important opportunity for business to showcase its strong support for nutrition and food security. Business plays an important role throughout the entire agriculture supply chain, from seeds, to food processing, to all the products farmers need to grow and distribute food.

Companies help educate consumers about healthy lifestyles through nutrition programs, labeling and responsible marketing,” Medina said. “They have an interest in promoting healthy societies in which their workers can prosper.”

Medina will be on the ground in Rome as a voice for the following U.S. business messages in the nutrition and agriculture space.

  • The private sector plays a positive role in addressing nutritional issues and food security
  • Free trade and investment negotiations hold the potential to increase the standard of living in developing countries and distribute more food to more people
  • Empowering women is crucial for improving nutrition, and any global nutrition plan must include policies that help women become farmers, traders and business owners
  • While tax incentives for healthy diets might seem like a good idea, fiscal policy often has unintended consequences, and taxing food actually winds up hurting low-income individuals the most
  • Sound nutrition policy must employ knowledge and evidence-based programs rather than be held captive by parochial interests.
  • Read the ICN2 provisional agenda and outcome documents.

Staff contacts: Helen Medina

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Leveraging Partnerships to Combat Malnutrition

Published on October 15, 2014

4861_image002As part of a series of public discussions leading up to the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization hosted a dialogue on October 14 in Rome about the critical role public-private partnerships in fighting malnutrition. The well-attended event convened representatives from member states, the private sector and civil society to raise awareness of global nutrition issues and catalyze support for partnerships. Dr. Nancy Stetson, special representative for global food security at the U.S. Department of State, noted that partnerships are necessary to reduce global hunger and malnutrition.

Louise Kantrow, ICC’s permanent representative to the UN, made a strong case for engaging the private sector as a full partner in deciding strategies for addressing malnutrition, since business is involved throughout the entire agriculture supply chain, from seeds to food processing to all the products farmers need to grow and distribute food.

“The UN has recognized that the problems confronting the global community now know no boundaries and all actors in society must come to the table and provide inputs,” said Kantrow, who also stressed the importance of trade and investment in the agriculture industry as it relates to economic development, empowering women, and innovation as areas where the private sector can contribute to the fight against malnutrition.

USCIB will attend ICN2 in November at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome.

Read the event summary on the FAO’s website.

Staff contacts: Louise Kantrow and Helen Medina

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USCIB Observes Nutrition Conference Negotiations

Published on October 13, 2014
4854_image002
L-R: Katy Lee (Private Sector Mechanism), Ann Steensland (Global Harvest Initiative), Nico Belzen (International Dairy Federation), and Helen Medina (USCIB)

The United Nations and World Health Organization will convene the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) next month to address the persistently high twin threats of hunger and malnutrition around the world.

In the lead-up to ICN2, member states met in Rome at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from October 10 to 12 to negotiate the final outcome documents for ICN2 – the political declaration and the framework for action. The meeting was a continuation of negotiations in Geneva last September where member states made progress finalizing the political declaration.

The ICN2 outcome documents will provide key priorities and technical assistance to governments and other stakeholders for improving people’s nutrition.

During the Rome meeting, USCIB partnered with the Global Harvest Initiative to represent U.S. business interests at the negotiations. USCIB’s Helen Medina, senior director for product policy and innovation, attended the meeting. Watch her summarize the meeting’s key takeaways for business.

Prior to the negotiations, private sector representatives were concerned with outstanding issues in the political declaration for ICN2. The document contained some language on “culturally acceptable food” that might have produced negative trade implications. Business believes that the document should focus on nutrition and leave discussions about trade policy to the World Trade Organization. Private sector representatives sought to eliminate language that could create potential trade barriers.

Business also paid attention to other areas of concern in the Framework for Action, including policies that deal with food pricing incentives, marketing and labeling regulations, language the puts a pejorative spin on processed food, and policies that are not inclusive of the entire agriculture industry.

“There are some good winds for the private sector,” Medina said at the end of the meeting. Negotiators deleted language in the political declaration that would have had a negative impact on trade. However issues remain with the Framework for Action, which recommends policies in international trade and investment that would be problematic for business. The U.S. government has reserved its position on the framework’s paragraphs about recommended trade and investment action, and USCIB is planning a follow-up meeting with USG to learn about any remaining issues with the framework before ICN2.

ICN2 will take place in Rome from November 19 to 21.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

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USCIB Represents American Business During the ICN2 Outcome Documents Negotiations

Published on September 22, 2014

4839_image001Global hunger and malnutrition remain stubbornly high, with over two billion people suffering from nutrient deficiencies. To address the worldwide double threat of undernourishment and obesity, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spearheaded the International Nutrition Conference in 1992, aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition while encouraging countries to develop national strategies to address unhealthy diets, obesity and other nutrition-related diseases. Although progress has been made, more needs to be done to combat global hunger and malnutrition.

To reach that goal, the Second International Nutrition Conference (ICN2) will take place this November, and in the lead-up to the conference the FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) have organized an Open Ended Working Group on September 22-23, hosted at the WHO in Geneva, to approve the final drafts of the ICN2 Political Declaration and a Framework for Action, documents that are meant to provide key priorities to governments and other stakeholders for improving people’s nutrition in a sustainable way.

Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director for product policy and innovation is currently attending the working group, along with other non-state actor representatives and Member State delegations. USCIB was among two U.S.-based associations representing American business interests at the working group. The meeting marked the first time USCIB has been invited to attend a negotiating session at the WHO.

Last month, USCIB submitted comments to the FAO consultation on the framework identifying several problems with the draft’s language, particularly clauses that either ignored or downplayed industry’s contributions to alleviating malnutrition. As USCIB’s comments were taken into consideration, Medina is attending the working group negotiations to ensure that stakeholders acknowledge that the private sector plays a positive role in addressing nutritional issues.

“We want to make sure that the discussion acknowledges that the private sector is part of the solution,” Medina said.

USCIB maintains that increased trade in agriculture and food increases the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies. Given the positive role industry plays in combating malnutrition, it is important that the FAO’s framework support policies that do not inhibit international trade and investment.

During the working group meeting, USCIB working with other private sector representatives will have the opportunity to engage with U.S. and foreign government officials to further the following messages:

  • Industry has a positive role in addressing nutritional issues;
  • It is important to employ “knowledge and evidence-based programs” to combat global hunger and nutrition-related diseases;
  • Any roles and responsibilities given to the various multilateral organizations involved in addressing global malnutrition should be clearly defined;
  • Increased trade, particularly in agriculture and food, increases the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies;
  • Empowering women is crucial for improving nutrition, and therefore promotes policies that help women become farmers, traders and business owners;
  • Fiscal policy is complex and often has unintended consequences, therefore taxes should not be used as incentives for healthy diets; and
  • It is essential that all stakeholders work together to develop holistic, impactful, and sustainable solutions.

The political outcome document and the framework for action are supposed to be finalized during the working group meeting with the view of being adopted at ICN2 in November.

Watch Helen Medina summarize key business takeaways from the ICN2 negotiations in Geneva.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

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USCIB Provides Industry Input to UN FAO Nutrition Action Plan

Published on August 19, 2014

4816_image001Global hunger and malnutrition remain stubbornly high, with over two billion people suffering from nutrient deficiencies. To address worldwide undernourishment, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spearheaded the 1992 International Nutrition Conference aimed at alleviating hunger and malnutrition while encouraging countries to develop national strategies to address unhealthy diets, obesity and other nutrition-related diseases.

The Second International Nutrition Conference (ICN2) will take place this November, and in the lead-up to the conference the FAO released a draft of its Framework for Action, a 10-year plan of action meant to provide key priorities to governments and other stakeholders for improving people’s nutrition in a sustainable way.

USCIB has participated in the FAO consultation on the framework, and on Monday released comments responding to the framework’s language which will be the basis for adopting major policy guidelines and strategies and for developing and updating national plans of action and investments to improve nutrition.

“USCIB appreciates the opportunity to provide input to the FAO consultation and believes it is essential that all stakeholders work together to develop a global food system to further improve people’s nutrition in a sustainable way,” said Helen Medina, USCIB’s senior director of product policy and innovation.

However, USCIB identified several problems with the draft’s language, particularly clauses that either ignore or downplay industry’s contributions to alleviating malnutrition, no definitions about vague terms such as “nutrition justice” and “highly processed foods of minimal nutritional value,” a tone that implies that trade and investment is bad for developing countries, and a failure to recognize that self-regulation with regard to the food and beverage industry has been beneficial.

Acknowledge Industry’s Role in Addressing Global Malnutrition

USCIB found that the framework draft in general contained limited language that acknowledged the food industry’s importance and the need for multilateral organizations to engage industry as a full partner in deciding strategies and common goals for addressing malnutrition. Industry is also keen on underscoring the importance of employing “knowledge and evidence-based programs” to combat global hunger and nutrition-related diseases.

Define Vague Terms

USCIB noted that the phrase “nutrition justice” isn’t defined and that the boundaries of the concept are unclear. USCIB recommends removing the term and instead focus the document on the action steps required to achieve explicit nutrition targets. The same critique was made of the term “highly processed foods of minimal nutritional value.” Medina wrote “The lack of either a definition or an evidence base linked to those definitions, should dictate that this statement is not appropriate for inclusion in the WHO/FAO Framework For Action document.”

Similarly, USCIB took issue with the framework’s priority actions for nutrition governance, arguing that there is a lack of clarity “as to how all these platforms, mechanisms, processes and reporting relate to similar activities either in place or proposed by WHO and the UN” and that “There appears to be significant potential for redundant, duplicative and overly burdensome processes that could present significant obstacles to achieving real progress.” USCIB noted that the framework should spell out what the roles and responsibilities among the various multi-lateral organizations involved in addressing global malnutrition.

Be Wary of Tax Incentives

Because fiscal policy is complex and often has unintended consequences, USCIB expressed caution with regard to plans to use taxes as incentives for healthy diets. USCIB argued tax rates should be kept low on food, especially for low-income individuals who spend a larger portion of their paycheck on food.

International Trade and Investment Isn’t Bad

Regarding the framework’s language on trade and investment in agriculture, Medina wrote, “There appears to be a presumption underlying this section that the impact of trade and investment is primarily negative, despite the fact that no evidence is offered to support this presumption and despite significant evidence to the contrary, including FAO and WTO reports, indicating that increased trade, particularly in agriculture and food, increases the standard of living in developing countries and improves the performance of national economies.  This section continues this presumption with respect to trade and nutrition specifically, not by providing any evidence of harm, but by implication simply constructing each proposition in the negative.  Without any science or evidence basis, this entire section should be reconsidered.”

Support Nutrition Education and the Role of Women

USCIB agrees with the framework that nutrition education is key to addressing global malnutrition, and that all stakeholders must work together to effectively educate consumers through labeling and nutrition programs on food.

USCIB also agrees that empowering women is crucial for improving nutrition, and therefore promotes policies that help women become farmers, traders and business owners.

“The private sector believes it is essential that all stakeholders work together to develop holistic, impactful and sustainable solutions,” said Medina. “We are committed to public-private partnerships that support public health strategies.”

Staff contact: Helen Medina

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