Senator Hyde-Smith Questions USDA Nominee on Fair Access to Farm Programs

Ensuring Fair Access to USDA Programs

• 🎯 Senator Hyde-Smith questioned Devon Westhill, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights, on ensuring fair and equal access to USDA programs for all farmers.
• ⚠️ Concerns were raised about the Biden administration altering an emergency relief program, leaving some hard-hit producers behind amidst high inflation and low commodity prices.
• ⚖️ Westhill committed to ensuring individuals are free from discrimination in participating in any USDA programs and that customers can do business with USDA without arbitrary barriers.

Addressing Unfair Competition in Catfish Production

• 🎣 Mississippi leads the nation in catfish production, but producers face unfair competition from subsidized, low-cost imports, particularly from Vietnam.
• 🇺🇸 Westhill stated he would work with the US Trade Representative and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure strict enforcement of inspection standards to protect domestic producers and consumers.
• 📉 The nominee acknowledged the concerning statistic that the US imports 75% of its seafood and committed to ensuring domestic producers have the ability to sell their products domestically.

Combating Unscientific Trade Restrictions

• 📈 Livestock and poultry producers have suffered financial losses due to animal diseases, with some countries using outbreaks as an excuse for unjustified trade barriers.
• 🔬 Westhill believes that tariff and non-tariff barriers negatively impact farmers and ranchers and plans to work through the Codex office to establish agricultural standards that benefit US producers.
• ✈️ He expressed a commitment to being a fierce advocate, actively engaging with other countries to ensure trade restrictions are science-based and lifted promptly when conditions warrant, referencing the America First Trade Agenda.