b'USDAS 4 GOALS FOR A TRANSFORMED FOOD SYSTEM IN THE U.S.USDA reexamines their strategy for creating a better food system.Ally RodenFOLLOWING THE COVID-19pandemic and Russias3 Make Nutritious Food More Widely Available invasion of Ukraine, the USDA announced the details for aand Affordablenew food system framework built on lessons learned and supplyThe pandemic revealed and intensified the negative chain disruptions. The framework aims to transform food sys- impacts of food and nutrition insecurity in the U.S., tems in order to benefit consumers, producers and communitieshighlighting the number of families that do not have access to by providing more options, increased access and better marketsaffordable and nutritious food.for small to mid-size producers. To reduce these challenges, the USDAs framework includes The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA acknowledgeprograms to guarantee that all consumers have access to fresh, the considerable supply chain disruptions and accept the U.S.healthy, nutritious food.cannot return to the food system used before these major occur-rences. A strengthened food system across the supply chain, beginning with how food is produced to how it is acquired is the ultimate goal of the USDAs Food System Transformation framework.The USDA expressed four primary goals for the framework:1 Build a More Resilient Food Supply Chain, While Reducing Carbon PollutionThe pandemic and recent supply chain disruptions have revealed the perils of a national food system that depends on capacity concentrated in a few geographic areas and requires many steps to get from farm to fork, shared a press release from the USDA.To combat these challenges, the future food system must be distributed and local, according to the USDA. The ability to gather, process, transport and store food in various geographic locations provides more options for producers to generate4 Emphasize Equityvalue-added products and sell locally, resulting in the opportu- For too long, rural communities, underserved com-nity for economic-growth and job creation in rural communities. munities, communities that experience persistent Regional capacity also provides consumers with additionalpoverty, and the people who live there have been left options to buy locally produced products, increasing food availa- behind. Where you live should not determine a fair shot to eco-bility and reducing the food supply chains impact on the climate. nomic opportunity. It is in these communities where most of our food comes from; where most of the water that we drink comes 2 Create a Fairer Food System with Better Localfrom; and where most of the energy we consume comes from, Market Options stated the USDA in the release.Producers power in the marketplace has seen aThe Food System Transformation investments could produce decline over the past 50 years, with a handful ofmore economic opportunities for those communities, speeding companies dominating the food system, according to the newsup the transition to more equitable growth.release. The USDAs investments will, deliver a better deal forFunds are supplied by the American Rescue Plan Act and farmers, ranchers, growers and consumers. additional relief legislation.SW8/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2022'