Sen. Debbie Stabenow on Food Security Bill During Pandemic
The closure of restaurants across the country has disrupted the nation’s supply chain, as food banks see an increase in demand.
The coronavirus pandemic has continued to wreak havoc on the country’s food supply chain.
“We need to look at food security as national security.” — Sen. Debbie Stabenow
With restaurants closed, retooling food suppliers’ capacities has proved to be an arduous process. The current health crisis has also instigated a food insecurity emergency across the country, making seamless food supply for food banks vital.
Listen: Senator Debbie Stabenow on fixing the food supply chain crisis.
Guest
Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, has announced new legislation to help address some of the concerning disparities in the country’s food supply chain.
“This legislation is about filling those gaps, first of all with farmers to help them retool through small-to-midsize distribution outlets, and for the food banks to add more capacity,” says Stabenow.
She says that the proposed legislation will distribute funding through state departments of agriculture to address issues of refrigeration, transportation and capacity. The pandemic has exposed cracks in the foundation of food supply, something Stabenow urges the country to rethink, especially when it comes to foreign-owned food distributors.
“We need to look at food security as national security,” says Stabenow.
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