The 2023 Farm Bill, animal health, environmental regulations, food production and the supply chain, food safety, international trade and workforce development were chosen as the top issues for 2023 by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).
“These issues were chosen for the organization’s 2023 focus as NASDA members see specific opportunities for progress regarding each of these areas to best serve farmers, ranchers and all communities across the nation,” said NASDA CEO Ted McKinney. “Further, we believe these are the areas where state departments of agriculture are uniquely positioned to lead impact and direct policymaking solutions this year.”
NASDA members are the state commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture.
Item by item:
- 2023 Farm Bill: The next farm bill must remain unified, securing a commitment to American agriculture and the critical food and nutritional assistance programs for those who need it most.
- Environmental regulation: NASDA supports the science-based and comprehensive regulatory framework the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act provides to ensure environmental and public health protection. Regarding the recently published “waters of the U.S.” rule, NASDA will continue to impress the role of states in regulating non-navigable waters.
- Food production and the supply chain: NASDA is committed to ensuring long-term stability and resilience in our nation’s food supply chain through supporting projects to increase U.S. meat processing, food and nutrition security and reducing food waste.
- Food safety: NASDA will continue to advocate for funding state Food Safety Modernization Act programs because state departments of agriculture are the front line of protection for consumers when it comes to food safety. State agencies, including state departments of agriculture, play a vital role in implementing and enforcing our nation’s food safety and inspection laws.
- Animal health: NASDA is committed to working with intergovernmental agencies and industry stakeholders to foster a collaborative approach to animal health initiatives, especially in protecting U.S. livestock from foreign and emerging animal diseases.
- International trade: To increase export opportunities for U.S. food, agriculture and forestry producers NASDA is asking Congress and the Biden Administration to leverage existing trading relationships, secure new trade agreements, fully fund trade promotion programs and engage with global trade institutions.
- Workforce development: NASDA is committed to working with the federal government, private industry and academia to identify and address agricultural workforce challenges.
Read more about each of the 2023 policy priories and all NASDA’s policy work at nasda.org/policy.
