The top headline out of the Department of Agriculture this week is all about strengthening America’s food supply as a matter of national security. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, alongside the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and the Attorney General, just unveiled the National Farm Security Action Plan, positioning American agriculture at the forefront of national defense. Secretary Rollins declared, “We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs, or our livelihoods.” This sweeping initiative directly addresses recent threats—including the foiled scheme where a member of the Chinese Communist Party was caught smuggling a dangerous fungus into the U.S. for agroterrorism, underscoring the vulnerabilities in our food systems and supply chains.

In policy shifts, Secretary Rollins also announced major revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act regulations, aiming to streamline environmental review processes for agricultural and rural infrastructure projects. According to Rollins, these reforms are cutting departmental regulations by 66 percent, tackling what she called “overregulation” that has stymied job growth and raised prices for American families. For rural communities and businesses, this means faster, more predictable approvals for energy, forestry, and infrastructure projects.

On the support front, the USDA revealed $230 million in new purchases of American-produced seafood, fruits, and vegetables to stock food banks and nutrition assistance programs nationwide. With over $924 million in purchases already made this fiscal year, these efforts help bolster struggling producers and strengthen the charitable food network. As Rollins put it, “Today’s announcement continues to prioritize American commodities for families and communities in need. USDA is proud to connect smaller, local farmers to families, and do its part to Make America Healthy Again.”

August also brings fresh Farm Service Agency loan rates—direct operating loans are set at 5.0 percent, while ownership loans come in at 6.0 percent. Emergency loans remain available for producers impacted by weather and disaster events, with recent designations in counties across Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Montana providing much-needed relief.

Looking ahead to public health and kids’ well-being, listeners should note new updates to school meal nutrition standards. While no menu changes are required for schools this academic year, starting in 2025, schools will gradually phase in added sugar and sodium reductions to benefit children’s long-term health, with a full rollout by 2027.

Taken together, these actions reshape USDA priorities, from national defense to food access, environmental streamlining, and child nutrition. The department is currently inviting public comment on its wide-ranging reorganization plan—so listeners can head to usda.gov to review the details and share their input.

For the latest updates, resources, or lending support, visit usda.gov or your local USDA Service Center. And if you care about shaping policy and protecting our food future, now’s the time to get involved. Thanks for tuning in, and remember to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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