Stabenow, Boozman Urge Secretary Vilsack to Support American Farmers by Making Investments in Trade Promotion and Food Assistance

Letter

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

We write to urge you to consider using your authorities with regard to the Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC) Charter Act to support the creation of new and better market opportunities
for our nation's farmers by addressing two key needs: trade promotion, and in-kind international
food assistance.

As Congress works toward reauthorizing critical programs in the Farm Bill, we continue to hear
from organizations representing the vast majority of U.S. agriculture about the need to strengthen
trade opportunities, increase revenue streams, and help producers grow and thrive in a global
economy. Farm Bill trade promotion programs help address these needs and build new
markets. We believe that resources available under the CCC can support similar efforts to open
access to markets and promote American-grown products abroad.

There is also bipartisan support for critical U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) international
food assistance programs. Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine continues to disrupt supply chains
and perpetuate humanitarian crises in the region and around the world. Commodity producers
are supportive of such USDA food assistance. We urge you to explore using CCC resources to
advance food assistance initiatives, which will both address humanitarian needs abroad and
support American farmers.

We are diligently working to produce a strong Farm Bill that can earn majority support in both
chambers of Congress. We urge you to consider these requests, and stand ready to support
USDA in its effort to address these needs.

Source