The United Nations this week has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health.

 

"We're trying to make sure that people appreciate how important plants are," said Craig Fedchock  with the UN's Plant Protection Program.  "Without plants you don't have beef, chicken; you don't have food, you don't have life.  And now we've even seen through studies in the US Forest Service for example, and also a recently announced one in Europe that even just tree cover make a difference to human health. There's so many things about plants and they're often under valued."

 

Fedchock hopes that devoting a year will get people excited about keeping the planet's plant life protected and healthy.  He noted there will be high-level meetings and events at the USDA in Rome, and Finland, and other locations in 2020.

 

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