(NewsDakota.com/USDA) – Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced several major developments at the USDA that will help benefit farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Speaking at the AFBF annual convention in Puerto Rico, Vilsack said they want to provide all farmers with the opportunities to continue farming, build and maintain their competitive edge, and access more new and better markets. He says USDA is moving forward with the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program and published comments on the importance of increased competition.

The agency is also improving risk protection for beginning, veteran, limited resource, and minority producers. USDA is also investing more than $12 million to expand independent meat and poultry processing capacity in Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota. There are new programs coming to fill the gaps in the 2020-2021 Natural Disaster Assistance and the 2020 Pandemic Assistance Programs. “By working together, we can ensure that American agriculture remains resilient,” Vilsack says.