International Farmers’ Association established in Ukraine, bringing together growers from 8 countries
Photo by: Мішель Терещенко
On March 14, European agricultural operators working in Ukraine announced the establishment of the International Farmers’ Association of Ukraine (IFA), according to the association’s president, Michel Terestchenko.
The new organization joins 63 family-run farming enterprises cultivating between 300 and 22,000 hectares each. In total, the association’s members operate 275,000 hectares of agricultural land across Ukraine.
The farmers come from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, and Scotland. The statement notes that, like their Ukrainian counterparts, they are actively involved in developing local communities, creating jobs, exporting agricultural products, and paying taxes to the Ukrainian state budget.
Tereshchenko noted that foreign farmers sometimes face corporate raiding, corruption schemes, or unfair actions by officials. That is why they decided to unite in an association to coordinate efforts to protect their rights and interests.
“IFA will also be able to make its voice heard in all key negotiations important for Ukrainian farmers, including those related to Ukraine’s integration into the European Union,” the statement reads.
