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equity


USDA Mission Areas, Agencies, and Offices’ Equity Action Plans Are Making Progress

August 01, 2023 Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small

Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has advanced equity by listening to the people we serve and learning how we can serve them better by removing barriers to our programs and services. USDA offices and agencies have developed key actions to...

Equity

Shorlette Ammons: Encouraging Young Farmers to Embrace Their Roots Through Food and Music Connectivity

June 21, 2023 Cecilia Hernandez, Designated Federal Officer, USDA Equity Commission

Growing up in Beautancus, North Carolina, U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Member Shorlette Ammons learned first-hand the impact of farming and food systems in rural communities. From a large line of farmworkers, cooks, and storytellers, Ammons leans on her experience and background...

Equity Initiatives

Yvonne Lee: Acknowledging Asian American Impact and Influence on the U.S. Agriculture Industry as a Policy Design Expert

May 30, 2023 Cecilia Hernandez, Designated Federal Officer, USDA Equity Commission

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and serves as an important opportunity to celebrate our AAPI communities and honor their many contributions to the United States. The AAPI community has influenced American culture in so many ways. One example is in...

Equity Initiatives

Farm to School and Child Nutrition Programming Model in Rialto, California

May 10, 2023 Cindy Long, FNS Administrator

One of my favorite activities is to see FNS programs in action. Therefore, as often as I can, I try to visit schools that know how to have fun while feeding kids healthy meals. Recently, I had the chance to visit Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) and learn about their success in doing just that...

Equity Food and Nutrition Nutrition Security

Dr. Alexis Racelis: Propagating Equitable Ag Research and Science

April 26, 2023 Laura Crowell, Communications Lead, USDA Equity Commission

For America’s farmers, science can act as a form of capital. According to Dr. Alexis Racelis, access to science is not always funded, developed, or distributed equitably.

Equity Initiatives

Arturo S. Rodríguez: ¡Sí Se Puede! Improving the Lives and Livelihoods of Farmworkers

March 31, 2023 Cecilia Hernandez, Designated Federal Officer, USDA Equity Commission

March 31 marks César Chávez Day and serves as a reminder to all Americans of the importance of service, community, education, and commitment to advocating for farmworkers and their families. Chávez was a champion of farmworkers’ rights, calling for fairer wages and improved working conditions and...

Equity Initiatives

Next Steps in Providing Financial Assistance to Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination: Organizational Deadline

March 14, 2023 Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator, Farm Service Agency

Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, directs USDA to provide financial assistance to producers who have experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending programs. This program provides USDA the ability to deliver financial assistance...

Equity Farming

Poppy Sias-Hernandez: Working to Build Equity with Love, Integrity, and Generosity

March 14, 2023 Laura Crowell, USDA Equity Commission Communications Lead

As a Latina woman, raised in a black community by a single white mother, Poppy Sias-Hernandez understands how access to equitable support and resources can have a life changing impact.

Equity Initiatives

Michelle Hughes: Advocating for Equity People Can Feel and Trust

February 27, 2023 Laura Crowell, USDA Equity Commission Communications Lead

After Michelle Hughes graduated from Haverford College, she took a job on a hog farm at the University of Pennsylvania in preparation for veterinary school. While working on the farm, Hughes’ career interests shifted towards production agriculture and advocacy.

Equity Initiatives

Gary Matteson: Creating Rural Wealth and Improving Equity One Conversation at a Time

February 15, 2023 Laura Crowell, Communications Lead, USDA Equity Commission

Gary Matteson is a farmer with a passion for helping beginning farmers from all backgrounds and walks of life. During his 30-year farming career, he built a successful operation raising greenhouse wholesale cut flowers and beef cattle for local sales in Epsom, New Hampshire.

Equity Initiatives
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