Delegated Defense Production Act Authority for Food Supply Chain Resources
On April 28, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13917, delegating authority under the Defense Production Act to the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize and allocate food supply chain resources during the COVID-19 national emergency. The order authorized the Secretary to require food producers and suppliers to prioritize orders from the federal government and to allocate resources as deemed necessary. The confirmed effect was expansion of federal authority over food production and distribution during the pandemic, with direct application to meat processing facilities, grain mills, and other food supply chain entities.