May 15, 2022

President Biden announces actions to address farmers’ costs and food insecurity

President Biden, along with USDA Secretary Vilsak, visited a farm in Kankakee, Illinois, May 11 to announce actions to be taken in support of the nation’s farmers, food price reduction and promoting food security. 

Following an already disrupted supply chain due to the pandemic, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine also further disrupted important global supplies of fertilizers. 

The administration specifically plans to:

• Increase the number of counties eligible for double cropping insurance.
  The administration is seeking to expand insurance for double cropping to as many as 681 additional counties, bringing the total number of counties where this practice qualifies for crop insurance to as many as 1,935.
• Cut costs for farmers by increasing technical assistance for technology-driven “precision agriculture” and other nutrient management tools.
  USDA has planning and cost-sharing assistance programs available. The administration is working to boost outreach to farmers, streamline the application process and prioritize application approvals to expand access to these critical programs.
• Double funding for domestic fertilizer production.
  President Biden is announcing that he is doubling his initial $250 million investment in domestic fertilizer production to $500 million to lower costs and boost availability.

The full statement can be found here.