Farmer Co-ops Applaud White House Call to Buy American

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives applauded President Joe Biden’s Buy American executive order signed this week. The action supports manufacturers, businesses and workers to ensure that federal purchasing programs follow Buy American requirements. The order seeks to close loopholes in how domestic content is measured, create a new position at the Office of Management and Budget to oversee the issue, and increase oversight of waivers to domestic preference laws. The Council has long supported enforcing and strengthening the Buy American provisions in programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, such as the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. NCFC and its members have expressed deep concern in recent years over a marked increase in the amount of foreign-produced food served under the school lunch and breakfast programs. NCFC President and CEO Chuck Conner says, “Sourcing non-U.S. foods—even when competitively priced domestic alternatives are available—not only runs counter to the law, but destroys jobs across the value chain.”