WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he would drop out of the 2024 presidential election and not seek a second term in office. Following the announcement, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement on the situation.

“In the 38 years that I have known President Biden, he has consistently and selflessly put our country first — and today is no exception,” Vilsack said. “As a result, he will go down in history as one of our most consequential American presidents.”

Vilsack cited numerous accomplishments of the administration in his response, including investments in clean-energy and climate smart industries that include agriculture.

“I am immensely proud to play a role in the Biden-Harris Administration, under which USDA has advanced food and nutrition security for tens of millions, invested in new, better and more markets to create a fairer and better marketplace for all farmers, improved the health and resilience of our national forests and grasslands, made our food safer, and centered equity in all that we do,” Vilsack added.

On July 11, the USDA confirmed that it would invest nearly $110 million in the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program nationwide.