When American families choose food, fuel and fiber produced by our farmers and ranchers, it strengthens rural economies and supports the people who work every day to feed and fuel our nation.
Another way to strengthen domestic demand is by ensuring that American-grown food is prioritized in programs that serve families across the country. Millions of meals are served every day through the National School Lunch Program and meals served to our men and women in uniform.
When those meals include food grown by American farmers, they provide dependable markets for farmers while supporting the nutrition of families and service members.
Ensuring strong enforcement of “Buy American” provisions can help make sure these programs support American agriculture whenever possible.
That same principle applies beyond food. Policies like the Buying American Cotton Act are another way Congress can support demand for products grown by American farmers while also supporting domestic manufacturing.
When we prioritize American-grown products, we strengthen the entire supply chain.
At the same time, we must protect the foundation of American agriculture itself. Farmland is more than just land. It is a strategic national asset. Once farmland is converted to other uses, it rarely comes back into production.
According to USDA, we lost 20.1 million acres of farmland between 2017 and 2022, along with more than 175,000 farms since 2017.
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