Mississippi River stakeholders urge U.S. to elevate food security as a priority policy issue – L’Observateur

ST. LOUIS – Mayors of the Mississippi River Cities & Cities Initiative, the Soy Transportation Coalition, and the Port of South Louisiana held a digital press convention on Could 19 to induce U.S. policymakers to advertise meals safety points to the next precedence.

Intersecting impacts from the Ukraine Conflict, local weather stress, geopolitical shifts in power manufacturing and world provide chain disruptions are colluding to amplify meals safety concerns. Becoming a member of the group to supply perception on these present points and talk about U.S. meals stability was Scott Gerlt, economist for the American Soybean Affiliation.

“The worldwide commodity provide chain and manufacturing economic system is the most important economic system on the Mississippi River influencing the competitiveness of most of our cities alongside your entire 10-state hall and bigger 31-state Mississippi River Basin,” defined Errick Simmons, mayor of Greenville, Mississippi and MRCTI co-chair. “My metropolis, within the coronary heart of the Mississippi River Delta, faces meals insecurity daily. We’re right here to maneuver past the rhetoric and description for our policymakers the information on the bottom and proposals for addressing meals safety by way of 2022 and into 2023.”

“Regardless of many distinctive challenges proper now within the meals provide chain—together with battle, climate and commerce coverage—the U.S. is lucky to have plentiful meals manufacturing. But, guaranteeing free commerce across the globe is important for sustaining worldwide meals safety,” mentioned Scott Gerlt, chief economist for the American Soybean Affiliation.

Financial coverage shouldn’t be the one consideration in understanding and addressing meals safety points. Each pure and constructed infrastructure implicate the planet’s meals internet simply as a lot, if no more that financial steering.

“It’s crucial for the US to make sure our meals supply system is as environment friendly and dependable as doable – notably throughout such a interval of world uncertainty.  American farmers have repeatedly demonstrated the power to provide secure, wholesome, and reasonably priced meals for home and worldwide prospects, however we have to have a transportation system that may successfully join provide with demand.  Sustaining and enhancing our roads, bridges, railroads, inland waterways, and ports should proceed to be one in every of our nation’s highest priorities,” urged Mike Steenhoek, government director of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

“My metropolis is within the nation’s No. 2 agriculture state. It’s crucial we maintain our commodity system dependable to manage inflation, stabilize the provision chain, and construct resilience to extended and future shocks,” said Brad Bark, mayor of Muscatine, IA and solely metropolis on the Mississippi River with a sister metropolis in Ukraine. “We have to make sure the newly handed Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Package deal creates new funding within the conservation and ecological restoration of our inland waterway system to enhance soil well being and maintain manufacturing capability into the longer term. We additionally want to make sure the 2022 Water Sources Growth Act consists of ecosystem restoration and constructed infrastructure resilience for the commodity provide chain.”

Past transportation and financial repercussions, the logistical capability to guard commerce is critical and has a baring on nationwide safety.

“The Port of South Louisiana is the main grain exporter and the second largest port by quantity within the nation. The ports of the Mississippi River assist a $164 billion commodity export economic system. Collectively, we proceed to ship product to Ukraine to bolster their meals safety as a lot as doable, however these operations affect commerce at a worldwide stage and implicate American financial prosperity. Thus, the Mississippi River Hall and its infrastructure must be thought-about within the Administration’s forthcoming Nationwide Safety Technique,” suggested Paul Matthews, chief government officer for the Port of South Louisiana.