(NAFB.com) – The ASA and many other ag organizations sent a letter last week in support of the Inter-American Institute for cooperation on Agriculture and the integral role the organization plays in bolstering U.S. agriculture and trade priorities. IICA is a specialized agency for agriculture that supports the efforts of its members to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being. Its programs specialize in areas like technology and innovation for agriculture; agricultural health; food safety and quality; international agricultural trade; family farming; rural development; natural resource management and the bioeconomy. In the letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the groups highlighted why IICA is a highly effective and trusted partner. At a time of rising global competition and growing threats to agricultural trade and biosecurity, continued U.S. support for IICA will strengthen American leadership, expand export opportunities, and reinforce the science-based trade systems that help U.S. farmers and ranchers compete—and win—on a fairer global playing field.