United for sustainable agriculture: BASF hosts roundtable discussions on cotton at the United Nations headquarters

Farmers across the globe are working to meet the ever-increasing demand for sustainably grown cotton. True sustainable sourcing of natural fibers can be complex and challenging, which is why BASF Agricultural Solutions brought together a global delegation of farmers from Europe and the United States to ensure their voices are heard and supported.

The event, aptly named ‘United for the Biggest Job on Earth’, was held at the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, September 12, and featured various farms from both Greece and the United States, as well as leadership from BASF Agricultural Solutions North America and Europe with attendance from sustainable fashion and agriculture media.

Under the banner "United for the Biggest Job on Earth," farmers from Europe and the United States met to discuss cotton at a roundtable hosted by BASF at the United Nations headquarters.

″BASF is dedicated to creating a better future for cotton production and the cotton textile industry,″ said Ray Daniels, Seed Sustainability Manager at BASF. ″We understand that cotton farmers are the cornerstone of sustainable production, which is why we are giving them an international platform to share their ideas on how agriculture must meet the needs of present and future generations through profitability, environmental health and social and economic equity.″

While sustainable farming sounds new, the principles are not. Farmers across cotton-producing regions in the United States and Europe have leveraged these practices to help reduce soil erosion and improve soil health, while reducing excess nitrogen use. The renewed focus on these practices by the textile industry provides farmers an opportunity to demonstrate their inherent sustainable nature publicly in this global workshop.

″It is truly exciting to be a part of this discussion about a sustainable and responsible future for cotton farming, and I look forward to using what I have learnt back home in Greece,″ said Thodoros Lefis, cotton grower from Komotini, North Greece.

BASF supports cotton production in the United States with the e3^®Sustainable Cotton program and in Europe with the Certified Sustainable FiberMax^® program. Both provide field-level traceability for cotton, as well as a way for farmers to track and measure the environmental and social impacts of their cotton production.

United for the Biggest Job on Earth is part of a partnership with the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and another way BASF is successfully contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

″Agriculture is so central to our lives, but many do not consider the powerful impact it can have,″ said Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, Vice-President, BASF Agricultural Solutions EMEA & CIS. ″It’s also an industry undergoing a time of unprecedented change. Farmers have an increasingly difficult yet important role of balancing the need for increased productivity, environmental protection, and value to society.″