Representative Angie Craig Discusses Minnesota Agriculture Priorities with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig spoke with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about her agricultural priorities in the 117th Congress -- including direct payments to struggling farmers, support for Minnesota's biofuels industry and efforts to rebuild and strengthen America's supply chains. Craig, a member of the House Committees on Agriculture and Energy and Commerce, reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Minnesota's agricultural economy through strong safety nets, expanded markets for exports and ensuring that resources are readily available to family farmers recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For generations, family farmers in southeastern Minnesota have dedicated their lives to feeding, fueling and clothing the world. They deserve advocates in Washington who are equally committed to protecting and strengthening their livelihoods back home," said Representative Angie Craig. "I am grateful to Secretary Vilsack for meeting with me to discuss how we can best support farmers in Minnesota -- and for his commitment to building vibrant communities in rural America for generations to come."

On her call with Secretary Vilsack, Craig expressed her appreciation for the Administration's recent review of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) -- and thanked Vilsack for his resumption of payments to struggling farmers in Minnesota. Craig, a member of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, also stressed how severely biofuel producers in Minnesota have been harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis -- and urged Vilsack to provide assistance to those who have been impacted. Craig inquired about the status of programs to support farmers and ranchers who were forced to euthanize animals during the early days of the crisis due to supply chain challenges -- and sought an update on the Administration's plans to ensure supply chain resiliency moving forward.

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