This article appears in the March 2021 issue of Sugar Producer.
Elections create big changes in Washington. A tidal wave of new people, new agendas, new priorities and new styles of leadership occur every two and four years in this town. Each new administration brings a sense of hope, excitement and caution. Many departments intersect with our industry, but none more so than the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Here is what’s happening as the Biden Administration gets off the ground.
At USDA, secretary Tom Vilsack brings a wealth of knowledge and experience back to USDA as he resumes a role he held for all eight years of the Obama administration. His skill is essential to manage both a food crisis and farm challenges. We are awaiting the announcement of undersecretaries who will oversee the sugar policy. There are already new deputy undersecretaries and senior staff that have hit the ground running. I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the fantastic work that career USDA staff carries out during the transition months. They are the glue that holds everything together — the conductors that make sure all the trains are on time.
President Biden nominated Katherine Tai as the U.S. Trade Representative. She previously served as chief counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee that has jurisdiction over trade agreements. She is respected by Democrats and Republicans on both sides of the Capitol. Her excellent work on the USMCA negotiations, which received overwhelming support from Congress, is the template for future trade negotiations. She speaks fluent Mandarin, which will be helpful in trade discussion with her Chinese counterparts. We are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the chief agriculture negotiator.
At EPA, Michael Regan will serve as the administrator. He was previously secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Regan was raised on a farm, a welcome background for someone in this role. Biden’s appointees are very talented, and we look forward to working with them in the years ahead. The Biden transition is going relatively smoothly, but not as rapidly as we would like. The Senate, in transitioning from one party to the other, along with the complications of an impeachment trial, has delayed confirmation hearings. Most transitions have several cabinet members confirmed by Inauguration Day. President Biden did not.
The fact that Democrats control the White House, Senate and House means that Biden’s agenda will at least see the light of day. That’s not to say his agenda will pass in full — or even pass at all. Democrats’ margins are razor-thin and will require compromise. President Biden’s priorities will provide both challenges and opportunities in the months ahead. However, the sugar industry is well-positioned to make the most of the changing Washington environment, and we have many reasons to be optimistic.
Looking ahead, you cannot move forward without defeating the pandemic. An aggressive response driven by science is a year overdue. The flawed vaccine rollout continues to have tragic consequences. Bringing this chapter to a close needs to be Congress’ and the administration’s No. 1 priority.
Addressing climate change is also at the top of the Biden agenda. There will be a great deal of discussion and debate about what role agriculture will play during 2021. We have been deeply involved in this issue and are prepared for the debate ahead. Many of our industry’s technology advances have had a positive impact on climate while increasing productivity. That is a great story to tell. Any further actions to achieve climate objectives need to be voluntary and compensated appropriately. It’s our farmers’ nature to always use best practices and strive for continuous improvement.
We expect that transportation and infrastructure, along with racial justice, will dominate early congressional hearings and legislation. In each case, we have a stake in these issues. When it comes to infrastructure, broadband and transportation to and from markets will be at the top of all of agriculture’s wish list. As you can see, we have our work cut out for us in Washington. But these times of transition offer great opportunities for our industry. We are excited about what’s to come.
Finally, on behalf of the ASGA board of directors, I’d like to thank everyone who participated in our annual meeting. We had fantastic speakers who shared important insight into our industry, markets and congressional direction. We can’t thank our speakers and sponsors enough for their participation. It was our largest event ever held.
Now, let’s get a crop planted and look forward to a very productive and profitable year.