NFU says American Rescue Plan a Step Towards a Fair, Stable Food System
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan, sending it to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature. The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package includes benefits for unemployed workers, stimulus payments up to $1,400 per person, and supplemental funding for nutrition programs, as well as support for vaccine distribution in rural communities, debt relief for socially disadvantaged farmers, and resources to build resilience in the food system.
When the bill was passed by the U.S. Senate over the weekend, National Farmers Union (NFU) praised it, saying it “provides a lifeline” for struggling Americans and takes “several steps towards more meaningful, enduring improvements” in the food system. Upon the House’s approval today, the organization’s president Rob Larew reiterated his satisfaction with the legislation:
“In many respects, the American Rescue Plan is a positive development. In the immediate term, it provides crucial assistance for both unemployed and food insecure Americans and expedites vaccine administration in rural communities. But the bill doesn’t just address our most imminently pressing economic and medical concerns – it also endeavors to change the agricultural sector for the better by redressing racial inequities in federal farm programs and increasing resilience in our food supply chain. We are extremely encouraged by the inclusion of these provisions and hope Congress follows up with additional structural reforms that move us even closer to the fair, stable food system we’ve envisioned for so long.”
About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.
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