Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack lauded the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to work with the White House Competition Council during its first year.

According to a USDA news release, the Biden administration formed the council last year as the pandemic waned to ensure fair prices for consumers, farmers and ranchers, ensuring fair competition and driving enforcement. 

"I am proud of USDA’s work in coordination with the White House Competition Council over the last year to learn from the pandemic and start to add resiliency and more choices for both producers and consumers in the middle of the food supply chain,” Vilsack said in the USDA news release. “Far too many companies have seen the pandemic as an opportunity to do more than pass along higher costs, but also to expand profit margins in these concentrated markets.”

Moreover, Vilsack also noted in the USDA news release that he has seen increased interest in programs that target competition in the food supply chain, including the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, which will offer grants to expand processing of meat and poultry. 

The release noted that more than 300 applications were received for more than $360 million in grants. 

Vilsack also pointed out in the release that the USDA continues to invest in key sectors that have less competition, such as food processing and fertilizer production. He noted in the release that the USDA is working with the Department of Justice, Department of Transportation and White House Port Envoy to streamline transportation and give farmers and rangers an avenue to report violators.