Biden administration to announce $2.1 billion to strengthen food system
$375 million for organic and urban agriculture projects
By Leah Douglas
Reuters
June 1, 2022
Excerpt:
The Biden administration will announce on Wednesday more than $2.1 billion in funding to shore up weaknesses in the country’s food supply system exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will unveil the new funding, designed to enhance competition in food processing and distribution, increase access to healthy food, and expand markets for farmers, during a speech at Georgetown University.
“In order for us to be able to deal with future disruptions, whether future pandemics or something else, we need a more resilient system,” he said. “A more resilient system is a system that has options.”
The investments, drawn from the American Rescue Plan Act and other relief legislation, will include $900 million for food processing workforce training and supply-chain infrastructure, $550 million for small food businesses and reducing food waste, $375 million for organic and urban agriculture projects, and $370 million to boost public access to healthy food.
