Back
Jun 15, 2017
The American Soybean Association (ASA) earlier this week submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the department’s proposed reorganization, including the creation of a new Under Secretary for Trade.
ASA noted that the position, authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, “…will strengthen the Department’s focus on enhancing trade and market access, which is the cornerstone of economic growth in America’s heartland.”
ASA also signaled our support for the proposal to realign the three customer-focused agencies under a re-named Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation.
“Any large organization faces the challenge of avoiding ’silos’ and instead creating an environment where agencies are able to communicate and not duplicate efforts. We are hopeful that this realignment can eliminate those silos,” ASA states in comments.
Finally, ASA reiterated the importance of the functions of USDA’s rural development programs, saying that while interaction with USDA-RD by soybean farmers directly is limited, “…the many infrastructure programs within the RD mission area are critical to our rural communities and economies. ASA recognizes the importance of rural development programs and urges that proper attention be devoted to them.”
A full transcript of ASA’s comments to USDA can be found here.
