USDA has unveiled a new structure to shift the food system towards the benefit of consumers, producers, and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-sized producers. The plan considers lessons that can be extracted from COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and other supply chain disruptions to imagine a future where the food system can be fairer, more competitive, and more resilient.
The following goals were outlined:
• Reducing carbon pollution while building a locally emphasized food supply chain with more market options
• Creating a food system that combats market dominance, and helps producers and consumers gain marketplace power
• Making nutritious food accessible and affordable
• Highlighting equity through rural and underserved community investments
The USDA solution involves a four-part program that lists investments in food production, food processing, food distribution and aggregation, and markets and consumers, which aims to address issues and vulnerabilities at each stage of the food supply chain.
In addition to increased funding for programs like the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, SNAP, and others, new investments in food producers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as infrastructure, agriculture, and more will be made.
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