Recently, President Biden issued an Executive Order that, among other things, directs USDA to take actions to curb the market power of agribusiness companies, including by enabling growers to repair high-tech machinery. The order builds off USDA announcements to write new regulations strengthening the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) and concerns over the “Products of the USA” meat labels.
In the “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” the President:
- “Encourages the FTC to limit powerful equipment manufacturers from restricting people’s ability to use independent repair shops or do DIY repairs—such as when tractor companies block farmers from repairing their own tractors;” and
- “Directs USDA to develop a plan to increase opportunities for farmers to access markets and receive a fair return, including supporting alternative food distribution systems like farmers markets and developing standards and labels so that consumers can choose to buy products that treat farmers fairly.”
The Executive Order fact sheet can be found here.