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USDA Equity Commission issues recommendations on racial equity for farmers : NPR


Ann “Farmer Gale” Sutton inspects crops on a farm January 26, 2023 in Upper Marlboro, Md. Prince Georges County has launched a pilot program to assist women and minority farmers in developing sustainable practices.

Michael A. McCoy/The Washington Post via Getty Images


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Ann “Farmer Gale” Sutton inspects crops on a farm January 26, 2023 in Upper Marlboro, Md. Prince Georges County has launched a pilot program to assist women and minority farmers in developing sustainable practices.

Michael A. McCoy/The Washington Post via Getty Images

The Equity Committee at the United States Department of Agriculture released The first report details more than 30 recommendations to bring about equity in agriculture.

The USDA Equality Commission was born out of Biden’s executive order calling on federal agencies to address racial equality and underserved communities. It is led by outgoing Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh and Honorary Farm Workers Association President Arturo Rodriguez.

The report was released on Bronaugh’s last day. She is the first Black woman to hold the #2 position at the USDA.

“We don’t want this set of interim recommendations like the ones we’ve seen in previous reports,” Bronaugh said at the release of the document Tuesday morning. “We want to achieve systemic change.”

The group met earlier this month to vote on recommendations ranging from making it easier for farmers to qualify for conservation programs to making language work in Agricultural Services Agency loans. more accessible – actions they believe USDA can initiate. A final report is due later this year.

“There’s a reason why this is different. We have very serious people around this table,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during the release of the report at the department on Tuesday morning. “People who have had life experience who have researched and dedicated their lives to these issues and it would be disrespectful if we didn’t take this work very seriously.”

What does the committee recommend?

The 32 recommendations span four key areas: how USDA works with farmers on a daily basis, changing department structure, farm workers, and other USDA programs like nutritional assistance. Report to the Ministry:

  • Provide additional funding for grants and partnership agreements for nonprofits to work with farmers on land access and heir property issues;
  • Reduce the number of years farmers should have been engaged in conservation programs;
  • Requires diversity training on county committees related to African-American, Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Native Hawaiian issues on county committees. Pacific Islanders where there are diverse communities;
  • Establishment of positions of assistant and deputy secretary in charge of Tribal affairs;
  • Complete and conduct annual citizenship compliance assessments across all USDA agencies as required by the 2008 agriculture bill, beginning fiscal year 2023;
  • Hire a third party to conduct an analysis of all complaints received by the program over the past five years and identify complaint patterns;
  • Support legislation that removes food stamp eligibility restrictions, such as Tribal reservations, based on immigration status or criminal record bans;
  • Appoint a senior official with a dedicated staff with decision-making authority and access to senior officials and the resources needed to serve farm workers, their families and communities. organization to serve them and established the Interagency Agricultural Workers Service Council.

USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and United Farm Workers Emeritus President Arturo Rodriguez present the interim report from the USDA Equity Committee.

Ximena Bustillo/NPR


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Ximena Bustillo/NPR

There are dozens of other proposals including supporting congressional legislation, conducting research on how programs are delivered, expanding language access, etc.

In a response, Vilsack detailed dozens of actions that were taken to address the report’s concerns.

The USDA said it has begun the process of partnering with nonprofits, reducing paperwork for loan applications and launching an online program to help manufacturers understand they might qualify for a loan. loans in an effort to reduce rejection and withdrawal rates.

“You will find that in fact, steps have been taken in many areas that you can take to get serious about this,” says Vilsack. “I suspect that every federal agency has had some history of discrimination, but this is one department that is ready to start the process of opening itself up to review – so people can have a critical look not only about individual cases, but systemic problems.”

Finally, the answer — which details past actions and new programs announced — USDA “thanks the Equity Committee for its vital contribution to that mission and looks forward to continuing to engage with the Commission.” to identify equitable enhancement opportunities for all.”

A broader attempt to repair a broken past

Helping black farmers is one of the achievements to promote opportunity and racial equity The Biden administration emphasized before a visit to Selma, Ala., to mark 58th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

That effort to provide relief to farmers who were discriminated against by the USDA farm programs and the equity commission, and its recommendations were born out of a broader effort to overcome restore the broken past.

Nearly two decades ago, a class-action lawsuit led by Black farmers against the USDA was settled. Then there was a class action lawsuit from Native Americans, Hispanic farmers, and female farmers. Even after lawsuits from minorities, many others including smaller farmers as well as young and beginner farmers say they are repeatedly excluded from USDA programs and structures.

They say barriers to accessing the programs include inaccurate denials, cumbersome paperwork and a lack of clarity about what applicants may be eligible to get started with.

The USDA lending process over the last century was not designed to support non-traditional growers, including farmers of color, who were not, said Zach Ducheneaux, Director of Farm Services at USDA. who face high rejection and withdrawal rates.

“So maybe you’re a Black farmer running an inheritance who doesn’t benefit from a tech support provider who partnered locally with them to help them navigate their business. this,” Ducheneaux told NPR of Black Farmers who have owned land for generations but may not know how to navigate USDA processes. “Due to the lack of a support structure around them, they will come with a less prepared application process.”

In reality, a recent NPR analysis found during the first two years of the Biden administrationThe data showed that black and Asian farmers were the least successful in direct lending.

Advocates of farmers of color have argued that withdrawals and withdrawals often occur because of the cumbersome and confusing multi-step registration process. Those whose families have generational experience and long-standing outside resources to navigate the federal bureaucracy will pass.

“We understand that for a long time there have been underserved and underserved populations that desperately need what the USDA can provide,” said Vilsack. “And as long as I’m secretary, I’m committed to doing that.”

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