Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue took a look back at a busy year for the USDA and said his agency accomplished a lot of good things for American agriculture.
“We fought for American farmers, ranchers, and producers by delivering new and improved trade deals like USMCA and a re-negotiated KORUS agreement, provided trade assistance to farmers because of illegal trade retaliation, and helped our fellow citizens through devastating natural disasters,” Perdue says.
He says accomplishments include making strides toward reigning in dependence on government assistance by beginning the rule-making process to move more able-bodied adults without dependents off the SNAP program and to self-reliance.
USDA also provided a broad range of assistance to residents, agricultural producers, and impacted communities at large following Hurricanes Florence and Michael in 2018.
Over the past year, the USDA Forest Service treated more than 3.5 million acres to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health through timber sales and prescribed fire.
The agency also successfully merged the Agricultural Marketing Service, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, and the Farm Service Agency’s Commodity Operations programs to better meet the needs of farmers, ranchers, producers, and consumers, while also improving customer service and maximizing efficiencies.
