Agricultural and Food System Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response Task Force

(a)

In general

Subtitle B of title II of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6931 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

229.

Agricultural and Food System Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response Task Force

(a)

Establishment

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish in the Department an Agricultural and Food System Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response Task Force (in this section referred to as the Task Force).(b)

Mission

The mission of the Task Force shall be the following:(1)Help to promote the leadership of the United States with respect to the stability of the agriculture and food system supply chain.(2)Encourage a Government-wide approach through partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, labor organizations, the governments of countries that are allies or key international partners of the United States, States or political subdivisions thereof, and Tribal governments in order to—(A)promote the resilience of the agriculture and food system supply chain; and(B)identify, prepare for, and respond to shocks to the agricultural and food system supply chain. (3)Monitor the resilience, diversity, security, and strength of the agricultural and food system supply chain.(4)Support the availability of agricultural and food system supply chain goods for domestic manufacturers, domestic producers, and domestic enterprises in the United States and in countries that are allies or key international partners.(5)Assist the Federal Government in preparing for and responding to shocks to the agricultural and food system supply chain.(6)Support the creation of jobs with competitive wages in the United States agricultural and food system sector.(7)Coordinate executive branch actions necessary to carry out the functions described in paragraphs (1) through (6).(c)

Special Advisor on Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response

The head of the Task Force shall be the Special Advisor on Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response (in this section, referred to as the Special Advisor) who shall be appointed by the Secretary. (d)

Agriculture and food system supply chain evaluation and report

(1)

Evaluation

The Special Advisor, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Transportation, shall conduct an evaluation of the stability and reliability of the agriculture and food system supply chain. The evaluation shall focus on the items listed in subsection (b).(2)

Report to Congress

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Special Advisor shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a) that includes the following:(A)An evaluation of—(i)the strengths of the agriculture and food system supply chain;(ii)the weaknesses of the agriculture and food system supply chain;(iii)current and potential future critical bottlenecks in the agriculture and food system supply chain, including transportation bottlenecks in the distribution of agricultural inputs, processed and unprocessed food and food input products, and consumer-ready food products;(iv)workforce challenges and opportunities in the agriculture and food system supply chain; and(v)the overall stability and reliability of the agriculture and food system supply chain.(B)An evaluation of Federal, State, and local laws and regulations that—(i)increase the stability and reliability of the agriculture and food system supply chain; or(ii)decrease or otherwise negatively impact the stability and reliability of the agriculture and food system supply chain.(C)Specific recommendations to improve the security, safety, and resilience of the agriculture and food system supply chain, including recommendations that address challenges identified under paragraph (1) and that also address—(i)long-term strategies;(ii)industry best practices;(iii)risk-mitigation actions to prevent future bottlenecks and vulnerabilities at all levels of the agriculture and food system supply chain; and(iv)legislative and regulatory actions that would positively impact the security and resilience of the agriculture and food system supply chain.(e)

Termination

The Task Force shall terminate on the earlier of—(1)the date on which the report required by subsection (d) is submitted; or (2)September 30, 2023.

(b)

Technical amendment

Section 296(b) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(11)The authority of the Secretary to establish in the Department the Agricultural and Food System Supply Chain Resilience and Crisis Response Task Force in accordance with section 229.