USDA

With a legal lens and knack for paying attention to detail, Equity Commission Member Charles (Charlie) Rawls has been the go-to source to help capture the essence of the Equity Commission’s intentions. With his firsthand experience working on civil rights reforms at the Department of Agriculture as...

With the end of Women’s History Month coinciding with César Chávez Day, I’ve been reflecting on my personal and professional experience and the journey that has taken me to my current role as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the Equity Commission. It is also...

In January 2021, day one of the Biden-Harris Administration, the President issued Executive Order 13985 that charged the Federal Government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with advancing equity for all, and making the necessary changes to ensure underserved communities are properly...

When people think of farmers or ranchers in rural America, what image comes to mind? It probably isn’t a mother-daughter duo in Hawaii. Lorie and Joan Obra exhibit the essence of women in agriculture. Together, they are continuing the dream of Rusty Obra, the late founder of Rusty’s Hawaiian – a...

This year marks the 100th anniversary of USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum. I was excited to participate in a panel session that reviewed the past 100 years of agricultural trade in the United States and acknowledge the forces that have shaped its evolution during the past century.

True sustainability in the agriculture industry starts with equity. When we take steps to recognize the challenges members in our community face around issues of equity – when we are committed to providing all farmers and farmworkers an equal chance of success and prosperity—we are building a...

Rural communities are the backbone of American life, providing fuel, food and fiber. As a partner, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) understands how critical rural America is to providing the everyday essentials our country depends on. As a result, we invest accordingly.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is committed to connecting all Americans with healthy, safe, affordable food sources. Towards fulfilling that commitment, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has launched multiple customer experience (CX) initiatives since President Joe Biden issued in December...

Our nation's lands are vital to providing clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, sustainable wood, minerals, energy, jobs and places for Americans to enjoy the outdoors. USDA’s Forest Service is responsible for managing 193 million acres of grasslands and forests. For rural America to thrive, we...

USDA has taken bold action to expand equitable access to our programs and services to improve customer experience (CX) for America’s farmers, ranchers and forest managers since President Joe Biden signed the Executive Order Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild...