Vilsack Discusses What It Will Take To Strengthen The Food Supply Chain

The USDA announced recently plant to invest $4 billion to strengthen critical supply chains. 

"Historically we've had a very efficient system, but efficiency comes at a price. And that price is a lack of resilience when you have a major disruption," said Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. "What we're learning and what we'll have to learn is how better to balance the need for efficiency and productivity with the need for resilience. So that at the end of the day, regardless of what might occur; whether it's a virus or whether its some other disruption whether it's a cyber attack, whatever it might be, that we have option and capacities to shift quickly so at the end of the day producers and consumers are not hurt."

Some programs will help expand processing capacity or provide transition assistance to beginning farmers.

"There are a significant number of programs that are contained within this announcement and over the course of the next several months you'll see exactly how we allocate the resources," Vilsack continued.

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