The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture says new bipartisan legislation could improve middle-of-the-supply chain breakdowns for producers.
Director of Public Policy Becky Garrison Werfel says addressing gaps throughout the food system builds a stronger domestic industry for small and mid-sized farmers.
“With the momentum that we see right now with MAHA and hospitals and schools, how can we actually include and introduce more of our domestic, local, and regional farmers into that marketplace? The bill really addresses that,” she says.
She says the American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act would allow for annual investments in necessary improvements through the USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program and establish Regional Food Systems Hubs across the U.S.
“This approach can support development across state lines, help with the coordination and streamlining of federal resources, finances, business and economic development for agribusinesses and food businesses. It would actually be a connector beyond state lines or local areas,” she explains.
Garrison Werfel says she hopes the legislation will be included in the next farm bill to help farmers remain competitive and expand market opportunities.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
It appears that this legislation would allow small and medium-sized farms/ranches to provide locally sourced commodities to commercial accounts which are often open only to larger suppliers. Any investment from USDA would help to improve their capabilities and infrastructure, thus, making them more competitive. We currently see some effort from local grocery stores and, of course, farmers market, to include locally grown items at the retail level. This legislation would open the door to more wholesale level action.
We also urge all CAD members to remember that small and medium-sized farm/ranch operations also purchase a large number of trucks and SUV’s in aggregate. And because they are smaller operations, programs like CADFI and CAD Protect may be very appealing to them. Make sure everyone in sales is up to date on all CAD programs, which are available for quick access on the CAD app, and on apple or other app stores to download free.
