(NAFB) – The Department of Agriculture seeks comments on a Department-wide effort to improve and reimagine food supply chains.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced the comment period Wednesday as part of a response to an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in February. The comments received will help USDA assess the critical factors, risks, and strategies needed to support resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains and. USDA says such supply chains are needed to address conditions that can reduce critical processing and infrastructure capacity and the availability and integrity of critical goods, products, and services.

Identifying food system supply chain bottlenecks and vulnerabilities also may provide valuable insights into the competitive and fair markets landscape, effects on local and regional producers and processors, and equitable access to food and economic opportunity across diverse communities.

Secretary Vilsack says, “USDA plans to tackle this supply chain assessment holistically – looking across a full range of risks and opportunities.”