Last week, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack testified at a lengthy – even by Congressional standards -six-hour hearing held by the House Agriculture Committee. The hearing comes at a particularly unique moment. The USDA, at the direction of Congress, has spent the last several years implementing and administering a wide array of programs and resources designed to support farmers, ranchers, and food system stakeholders throughout the pandemic, and to ultimately build a more resilient, sustainable food and farm system. At the same time, the new 118th Congress is currently gearing up to reauthorize the Farm Bill this year. Situated at this pivotal juncture in early 2023, last week’s hearing is a window into the work done over the last several years, …

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