Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack commented March 28 on the Biden-Harris administration's budget for fiscal year 2023.
The USDA news release noted the budget includes $1.177 billion to address climate change across private agricultural lands and $1 billion to support climate-smart and conservation practices. The budget reportedly proposes $135 million for the protection and restoration of watersheds.
“The president’s budget provides the USDA with the tools needed to support a vibrant, revitalized and prosperous rural America," Vilsack said in the release. "It contains transformational investments that will help rural communities build resilience to the climate crisis; increase landscape resiliency to the impacts of climate change; create more and better markets for our hardworking producers; bolster access to healthy and affordable nutrition for families; help connect all Americans to high-speed, affordable and reliable internet; strengthen USDA’s efforts to build equitable systems and programming; and position the United States to be a leader in agricultural research."
According to the release, the $5.5 billion U.S. Forest Service investment is the launching pad for the budget, as it proposes an increase of $285 million for forest restoration activities on National Forest Services lands. The release states the budget proposes $5 million for inventory and analysis of forests.
"(The budget) will also help many of USDA’s agencies rebuild capacity after years of staff losses, strengthening the department so we can better perform our duties and serve the American people," Vilsack said. "This budget proposal is a statement of intent that underscores President Biden’s commitment to the success of rural Americans and their communities.”
The budget reportedly aims to deliver Biden's agenda highlighted in his State of the Union address. The administration seeks to build a better America, reduce the deficit, reduce costs for families and grow the economy, according to the release.
