Reexamine and Retool: Commerce Secretary wants a revision of the manufacturing assistance programs

The President’s Commerce Secretary was in the hot seat this week, talking American manufacturing with a Senate subcommittee.

Kansas Senator Jerry Moran questioned Lutnick over a program that helps smaller U.S. manufacturers. The department is not requesting money for that program next year. Lutnick says it is not forgotten, but rather being reworked.

“Programs that were set up by the Department of Commerce decades ago, to assist in technology for manufacturing, tend to be outdated. The new technology is AI-driven, automated, and I think we need to reexamine and retool a whole variety of these programs so that we are able to provide the best technological assistance rather than just continuing our program that’s decades and decades old.”

The Hollins Manufacturing Extension Partnership was started back in 1988. It is a public-private partnership that was designed as a cost-share program. Leaders say the program helped manufacturers get $15 billion in sales last year.

Related Stories
Smaller slaughter numbers across beef and pork signal tighter supplies into late 2025, while record-low veal production highlights ongoing structural changes in the sector.
Beal joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss her election to NASDA’s presidency, challenges facing American agriculture, and her background as a Mainer and dairy farmer.
Chad Rezniek with the Colorado AgrAbility Project joined us as part of National Farm Safety and Health Week to discuss the growing need for behavioral health support in rural communities.
Potash has seen the most significant decline, falling 11 percent over the same five-year period.
China’s buying decisions continue to be a critical factor in shaping cotton prices and export opportunities worldwide.
Lower inventories and cautious farrowing plans suggest tighter hog supplies into 2026, keeping producer margins sensitive to demand trends and health risks.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew discusses the urgent need for aid as farm families face mounting input costs and long-term market uncertainty.
Bradley Roy was the youngest angler to compete in a Bassmaster Elite Series event. Now, he’s prepping to hit the water with MLF Hall of Famer Greg “The Rooster” Vinson in the Team Series Patriot Cup.
Stories like this remind us what FFA is all about — leadership, service, and growth.
The new antitrust agreement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aims to enforce antitrust laws and monitor market activity across the ag sector.
President Donald Trump says a deal is nearly done on lowering beef prices, but he has not released details.