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Vilsack outlines USDA priorities

The head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture outlined his agency’s priorities for 2023 during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention Friday.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says a focus for USDA in the year ahead will be implementing programs launched the past 15 months.

“So that’s the Climate Smart Partnership Initiative, that is the Food System Transformation Initiative or the Organic Transition Assistance Program, or the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. With urban agriculture and the investments being made there with focus on food loss and waste.”

He says another priority is helping Congress write the next farm bill.

“To the extent that what we are currently doing supports and is integrated or is reflected in that farm bill, that obviously would be helpful and important.”

And Vilsack says there will continue to be a focus on the key elements of trade.

“And that really involves presence in my view. It involves partnerships, it involves promotion.”