In an interview with Chip Flory of AgriTalk Radio, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack outlined intended policy for the Department during his tenure.  As reported by John Herath of the Farm Journal AGWeb posted on March 8th, Vilsack emphasized priorities deviating from the previous Administration:-

• The necessity of providing alternative markets for farmers through local and regional food systems
• More transparency with fair markets especially for livestock, allowing greater competition to the benefit of producers.
• Advancing policies that mitigate against climate change, possibly with the introduction of a carbon market allowing farmers to gain from sequestering carbon.
• Reuse of agricultural waste including capture of methane.
• Targeting farm bill programs to promote regenerative practices to improve soil health and sequester carbon.
• Opening up Farm Service Agency offices as incidence rates of COVID-19 decline and with enhanced levels of COVID vaccination.
• Support of the biofuels industry that suffered from COVID but did not receive compensation.
• Protection of agricultural workers and reimbursement of expenses associated with reducing the spread of COVID.
• A review of the distribution of funds under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) including $13 billion for CFAP3.

Sec. Vilsack stated that distribution of $2.3 billion earmarked for contract hog and poultry growers has been frozen following a review that may result in changes in priorities.