U.S. agriculture secretary unveils initiatives aimed at small and midsized operations

At the National Farmers Union conference in San Francisco, Vilsack also discussed creating a new “seed liaison” in the department to increase fairness in the commodity biotech industry, and proposed changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act. The Packers and Stockyards Act governs competition in the livestock and poultry industries, and prevents unfair market manipulation or consolidation. 

The secretary said these developments mark progress in the Biden administration’s approach to transform the existing food system, and increase resilience and profitability.  

“I want this audience — and every audience I’ve been speaking to —  to understand that it’s not just this ‘organic over here, and local original food over here, and processing over here,’” Vilsack said.