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UN Declares 2020 as International Year of Plant Health
USAgNet - 01/28/2020

Plants make the oxygen we breathe and give us 80 percent of the food we eat. But plants are under attack by invasive pests. These pests destroy up to 40 percent of the world's food crops and cause $220 billion in trade losses each year, according to the United Nations. That leaves millions of people worldwide without enough food to eat and seriously damages agriculture-the primary source of income for rural communities.

To bring worldwide attention to this challenge, the U.N. has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. They are calling on people, organizations, industries, scientists, and governments to work together to protect plants against the introduction and spread of invasive pests. The U.S. National Plant Protection Organization-the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine-is leading the effort in the United States.

"At USDA, we do all we can for our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers so that they can continue to feed and clothe this nation and the world," said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Greg Ibach. "That's why we're urging everyone to take this issue seriously and to do their part. Protecting plants from pests and diseases is far more cost effective than the alternative."

According to USDA, everyone can help avoid the devastating impact of pests and diseases on agriculture, livelihoods, and food security.


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