This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a comprehensive set of investments to address challenges facing America’s agricultural producers. Of the $3 billion investment, up to $500 million will be used to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). This will be through robust expansion and coordination of monitoring, surveillance, prevention, quarantine, and eradication activities through USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
This is news that pleases the National Pork Producers Council. Their President Jen Sorenson said, “The United States remains free of ASF, and the U.S. pork industry for the past several years has been doing everything it can to maintain that status. These funds will help that effort.”
USDA also outlined and requested public comments on a new climate partnership initiative designed to create new revenue streams for producers via market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices.
The National Milk Producers Federation was pleased with that announcement. NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said, “By aiding the finance of climate-smart farming practices and the marketing of climate-smart commodities, this initiative will ensure even greater U.S. leadership in sustainably feeding the planet. It also will help keep U.S. farmers competitive in a global market that’s increasingly sensitive to agriculture’s effects on climate.”
To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.