USDA Framework Adds Resilience and Fairness to Food System

WASHINGTON, D.C. ​— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the details of the Food System Transformation framework, a more than billion dollar investment to create a food system that is more resilient, healthier and equitable for consumers, producers and rural communities. USDA’s plan will help ensure food producers have access to high-demand programs and funding, especially in underserved parts of the country, and previews the potential opportunities for transformational change in the 2023 Farm Bill.

The following are statements from NRDC policy advocates:

“The Organic Transition Initiative will help farmers and ranchers prepare for the ongoing challenges of climate change. By improving access to healthy food produced with climate-friendly practices, these investments will deliver wide-ranging benefits that should be at the core of the upcoming Farm Bill and our broader national food policies.” - Allison Johnson, Senior Attorney & Sustainable Food Policy Advocate

“Food waste has reverberating impacts on the climate, the environment, the economy, and our access to food. USDA’s investment in local composting efforts, and the critical support provided for a National Food Loss and Waste Strategy, is a step in the right direction. Congress needs to continue to push for food waste reduction provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, if we’re to achieve our national goal of reducing food waste 50% by 2030.” - Yvette Cabrera, Director, Food Waste

“USDA’s investments can improve American agriculture by better connecting robust agricultural supply chains with the need for healthy soils. This announcement and the upcoming Farm Bill are key to addressing the reality of a changing climate, building a resilient food system and supporting small and medium producers currently being displaced by uncontrolled market forces.” - Matthew Kaplan, Senior Attorney

“These investments take a bold step towards leveling the playing field for communities that have been burdened and endangered by our food system and have not seen a fair share of its benefits. By building on well-used programs with a focus on equity, USDA’s framework will help all communities get healthy food on the table while benefiting from a safer environment.” - Valerie Baron, National Policy Director and Senior Attorney

Additional NRDC resources:

• USDA Moves Toward Fairness in Food (May 2022) 
• Opportunities to Bolster the 2023 Farm Bill (May 2022)
• Opportunities to Reduce Food Waste in the 2023 Farm Bill (April 2022)
• USDA Needs Tools to Address Pandemic, Empower Farmers (April 2022)
• NRDC Report: Pathways to Regenerative Agriculture (April 2022)
• Time to Transition to an Organic and Regenerative Future (December 2021)
• Pandemic Endangers Workers and Supply Chains (April 2020)

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.