Equity

Boosting the housing supply is crucial to bringing homeownership within reach for millions of Americans. USDA Rural Development and its lending partners have affordable financing options for homebuyers who are considering building their dream home.

USDA and the Biden Administration have been working hard for months to get more safe infant formula onto shelves across the country. Ending this shortage is a top priority. In the meantime, we’ve heard many uplifting stories of neighbors helping neighbors and strangers reaching out to lend a helping hand. We’ve also seen WIC staff across the country go the extra mile to help the families they serve.

Across rural America, people are picking up hammers, screwdrivers and measuring tapes to build their own homes. USDA Rural Development (RD) and Habitat for Humanity’s strong partnership helps ensure that every family has access to well-built, energy efficient, affordable housing.

In honor of National Homeownership Month, USDA Rural Development (RD) and the Biden-Harris Administration will highlight stories of how our programs have helped people in rural, Tribal, and underserved communities buy, repair and build homes, and pay their rent. As small towns and communities face the challenges of rising housing costs, this kind of support is now more critical than ever.

It’s an honor to serve as USDA’s first director of nutrition security and health equity at the Food and Nutrition Service. In this role I have the privilege of working to ensure all Americans have consistent access to safe, healthy, and affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being.

As May comes to a close, USDA reflects on recent activities to support small businesses nationwide. The first of the month marked the start of National Small Business Week 2022. In recognition of the observance, USDA’s national and state office leadership connected with small businesses in states and territories that have limited procurement activities. The goal was to highlight federal opportunities to help build and grow their businesses.

Do you enjoy exploring food from countries around the world? Celebrating cultural traditions through food is a great way to connect with people from various communities and learn about their heritage. It is also a way to appreciate your own cultural roots! Discover simple ways to enjoy three cultural foods and see what vitamins and minerals they contain using FoodData Central from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.

Cesar Chavez Day allows us to recommit ourselves to honoring farmworkers and their many indispensable contributions to our nation.

The National School Lunch Program provides nutritious meals to about 30 million children daily in the U.S. Such success would not have been possible without the early efforts and continuing contributions of women. For over a century, women have led the way in starting programs that provide healthy foods to children from underserved communities. And what started as local efforts have grown into staple, federal programs.

It’s Women’s History Month and I am proud to work alongside so many great women leaders at USDA.