U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is contributing to the "historic achievements" of President Joe Biden's administration by improving food security, climate-smart agriculture and access to its services, the agency reported last week.
The USDA released a Fact Sheet on Feb. 6, which shows how the agency has used funding provided by the Biden administration's programs, including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
"Over the past two years, President Biden’s groundbreaking legislation has laid the foundation for a future that lifts up all Americans," the USDA states in the report. "These historic pieces of legislation and funding opportunities offer a framework to build a profitable, sustainable, and resilient economy that benefits small, mid-sized, and large producers alike."
The Fact Sheet states the country has seen the two years of historic job growth, higher wages, moderating inflation and "the biggest investment in America's infrastructure since the 1950s."
“President Biden has passed a historic economic agenda to rebuild our infrastructure, supply chains, and manufacturing and reduce costs for families,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As part of these historic achievements, USDA is working to build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out and, transform our food system so that it works for everyone and creates economic opportunity for all of our farmers, ranchers, and foresters, not just the few.”
USDA has spent more than $1 billion in APRA funds to provide underserved producers with programs, resources, technical support and other tools; funding from the IRA to build infrastructure, promote climate-smart agriculture and develop renewable-energy initiatives; and from the BIL to repair roads and bridges, provide high-speed internet access to rural communities; improve water quality; and partner with local communities to develop initiatives to mitigate climate change.
"President Biden is delivering on his promises to build a better America and rebuild the backbone of the country, the middle class," USDA states in the fact sheet.
"As part of this tremendous impact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues its efforts to build more and better markets for American agriculture, provide food and nutrition security, advance climate-smart agriculture, and ensure that USDA programs and services are accessible to all Americans."
