Director General of IICA and Senior USDA Officials Advance Shared Agenda to Strengthen Food Safety, Biosecurity, and Agricultural Trade in the Americas

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On his first visit to the United States since assuming office on January 15, Director General Muhammad Ibrahim of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) met with senior officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to advance a shared agenda to protect the hemispheric food supply and expand opportunities for farmers and ranchers through stronger, science-based agricultural trade.

Director General Ibrahim held consultations with Luke J. Lindberg, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, and Michelle Bekkering, Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

The meetings focused on practical cooperation to strengthen food safety and biosecurity, improve regional capacity to prevent and respond to animal and plant pests and diseases, and expand Americas-to-Americas agricultural trade through sound-science, evidence-driven regulatory approaches.

"The United States and IICA share a clear interest in protecting the integrity of the food supply chain and expanding trade that rewards producers and delivers safe, nutritious food to consumers," Director General Ibrahim said.

"IICA is ready to help operationalize this agenda across our 34 Member States by strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary capacity, accelerating risk-based regulatory alignment, and supporting rapid response systems that keep threats from becoming crises."

Under Secretary Lindberg underscored the importance of reinforcing the Americas' position as a reliable global supplier of food, feed, fiber, and fuel—while ensuring trade delivers tangible benefits to producers, strengthens market access, and supports resilient supply chains.

Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering emphasized the value of science-based standards and evidence-driven risk assessments as the foundation for predictable, trusted agricultural trade and effective protection against transboundary threats.

The officials discussed practical pathways to deepen cooperation with IICA to strengthen biosecurity protocols, expand early warning and surveillance capacity, and improve coordinated response mechanisms for pests and diseases affecting crops and livestock.

During the consultations, Director General Ibrahim also reaffirmed IICA's readiness to support agricultural recovery and rebuilding efforts in Venezuela, including collaboration with USDA on a structured approach to agricultural development and market access. With a longstanding operational presence in Venezuela, IICA can support technical cooperation, institutional strengthening, and risk management measures aligned with broader hemispheric food security and stability objectives.

SOURCE Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)