USDA Wildfire Funding and Vilsack on Organic Production
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Deputy USDA Secretary Xochitl (so-CHEEL) Torres Small announced $250 million is available to help at-risk communities protect homes, businesses, and infrastructures from catastrophic wildfires.
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program will fund 158 projects to help communities in 31 states, two territories, and 11 tribes develop community wildfire protection plans, which include removing overgrown vegetation that can fuel fires.
Last year, more than two million Americans were displaced by extreme weather events, including wildfires.
**Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new programs, partnerships, grant awards, and an additional $10 million in funding to expand markets for organic products and help producers transition to organic production.
These programs will support the development of new and better markets for domestic organic products, provide hands-on training to producers making the transition to organic production, and ease the financial burden of obtaining organic certification.
**President Biden increased tariffs on Chinese goods under Section 301 of 1974’s Trade Act.
The hike goes on $18 billion worth of imports from China, prompting significant concerns that China might impose tariffs on the U.S. ag products.
National Journal notes that Biden “doubled down” on former President Trump’s tariff policies, keeping the Trump tariffs in force and imposing even more to try and keep China from dominating the emerging clean-energy global market.
