American Farmland Trust is pleased to endorse the bipartisan American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act introduced today by Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Jim Justice (R-WV). The bill would provide critical investments and coordination of local and regional food systems to ensure a profitable, nutritious, and resilient food supply into the future.
“This important legislation will help farmers access new markets, keep working lands in production, and create economic opportunities in communities across the country,” said John Piotti, President and CEO of American Farmland Trust. “AFT applauds Senators Schiff, Hyde-Smith, Klobuchar, and Justice for this practical, bipartisan approach to strengthening regional food systems and ensuring the long-term viability of American agriculture. When farms thrive, America thrives.”
The American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act includes two components. First, it would make permanent the existing Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI), which was initially launched by USDA in 2023. The program, which operates as a cooperative agreement with states, strengthens local and regional food systems by providing grants to producers, processors, local governments, nonprofits, and institutions to increase middle-of-the-supply-chain capacity and expand makret opportunities for small and mid-sized producers. RFSI supports projects such as expanding processing or aggregation capacity, modernizing storage systems, offering trainings, building new facilities, and more.
The bill also would establish Regional Food Systems Hubs (RFSH) across the nation – at least ten regional hubs and one national tribal hub – to improve local and regional food supply chains and markets. Specifically, the Hubs–which would be hosted by nonprofits, universities, and/or Tribal organizations–would provide a suite of services to local farm and food businesses including financial and technical assistance toexpand procurement opportunities. In addition, the Hubs would be tasked with providing business technical assistance, which includes financial coaching, business planning support, succession planning services, support accessing land and capital, and more.
AFT’s endorsement of this legislation is part of its broader Thriving Farms and Ranches initiative, a bold nationwide effort to strengthen farms, support rural vitality, and build resilient food systems. Foundational to this work is a white paper, Thriving Farms and Ranches: In Support of America’s Farmers and Ranchers – A Call to Action that outlines challenges farmers face and summarizes how rural communities can excel into the future through durable markets and sustainable agricultural pracitces.
