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Legislation Aims to Improve Resiliency by Building Out the Middle of the Food Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have introduced legislation to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. food supply chains and expand markets for agricultural producers, particularly small and mid-sized operations.
The American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act, which is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), is intended to cultivate a more resilient, competitive supply chain by helping to create new markets for local and regional foods, as well as for small and diversified producers. Specifically, the legislation would make the USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program permanent and create a Regional Food Systems Hubs (RFSH) Program.
“Making the RSFI permanent will give states greater certainty to make long-term investments that strengthen food supply chains and benefit producers and consumers,” Hyde-Smith said. “Mississippi has been very effective in using its RFSI grants statewide to build out pathways to get food our producers grow from farm to market. The RFSI, combined with the regional hubs, provides the incentives for producers and policymakers to do what needs to be done to get more locally produced agricultural products a broader market.”
“Our family farmers need more opportunities in today’s global agricultural markets. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation alongside Senators Hyde-Smith, Klobuchar, and Justice to strengthen our food supply chains and create new markets for small and mid-sized producers, expanding opportunities so that farmers have a means of selling their products to more places and consumers have more options,” said Schiff.
The RFSI Program provides grants to individual states, like Mississippi, that then redistribute that funding to support projects that build or expand facilities, upgrade equipment, improve food safety compliance, strengthen distribution networks, and enhance energy and water efficiency. RFSI is also a tool for Mississippi State University’s Vision 2030 initiative, a joint effort to align research, resources, and public and private sector efforts to highlight the economic value leaving Mississippi’s agriculture and forestry industries each year and find ways to keep more of that value in the state.
Establishing the RFSH program would create at least 10 regional hubs covering all U.S. states and territories, plus one dedicated intertribal hub. Nonprofits, universities, or tribal organizations under cooperative agreements with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service would operate the hubs, which would provide producers with direct technical, business, and marketing assistance to help connect local producers to institutional buyers like schools, hospitals, military bases, and grocery distributors. The hubs would also serve as a single point of contact for local food businesses by coordinating federal resources from USDA, Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Economic Development Administration.
The bill is supported by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), American Farmland Trust (AFT), National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and National Farmers Union.
“NASDA applauds the introduction of the American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act and supports its efforts to codify the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program and to establish the Resilient Food Systems Hubs program. These investments will strengthen regional food systems by expanding and diversifying domestic market access for farmers, improving supply chain resilience, supporting farm viability, and increasing procurement opportunities for institutions like schools and hospitals,” said Ted McKinney, NASDA CEO. “NASDA commends Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith, Adam Schiff, Jim Justice and Amy Klobuchar for their bipartisan leadership in advancing this important legislation. NASDA urges swift passage to ensure the long-term resilience and stability for American farmers, supply chains, and communities.”
“This important legislation will help farmers access new markets, keep working lands in production, and create economic opportunities in communities across the country,” said AFT President John Piotti. “AFT applauds Senators Schiff, Hyde-Smith, Klobuchar, and Justice for this practical, bipartisan approach to strengthening regional food systems and ensuring the long-term viability of American agriculture. When farms thrive, America thrives.”
