Today's Date: March 28, 2024
PMI Foods Gives Easter Donation of 15,000 Pounds of Prime Rib to New Life Church in Arkansas   •   Empire State Realty Trust Receives WELL Health-Safety Leadership Award; Becomes Among the First Commercial Office and Multifamil   •   More $10-a-day child care spaces   •   Carnegie Learning Named 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist for Best Educational Game and Best AI Implementation in Ed Tech   •   Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. Expands OTC Portfolio for Children with the Introduction of bébé Bottoms™   •   Re:wild and Colossal Biosciences team up to leverage revolutionary technology to save critically endangered species on the brink   •   Make-A-Wish and celebrity wish granters announce goal to recruit 1 million people to become "WishMakers"   •   Fastenal Releases 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report   •   Equalpride Partners with TransLash Media for Trans Day of Visibility, Amplifying Voices of Black Trans Femmes in the Arts   •   Suffolk Kicks off 2024 “Build With Us @ Suffolk” Program in Boston for Trade Partners, Opening Doors for Minority-,   •   Torrid Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2023 Results and Initiates Fiscal 2024 Guidance   •   Visit Visalia Recognizes Autism Awareness Month in April   •   Jamieson Wellness Publishes Inaugural Sustainability Impact Report   •   80 M/other Artists Converge for MICAfest 2024 in Northampton, MA this May   •   John Legend to Perform at City Year Los Angeles’ 13th Annual Spring Break Event   •   Sypher Secures Strategic Partnership with FAIA to Fuel Growth   •   Amerex Group Unveils Red Carter Swimwear's Revitalized Collection   •   Pushing Policy: Women Uniting for Legislative Change; Four Trailblazing women at the forefront of the Quad Caucus   •   VIRGIN HOTELS CHAMPIONS INCLUSIVE TRAVEL FOR NEURODIVERSE TRAVELERS   •   Planet to Provide Carbon Mapper, Inc. with Hyperspectral Data Until 2030
Bookmark and Share

USDA Creates Minority Farmer Committee

 WASHINGTON -  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has just announced the appointment of members to the Minority Farmer Advisory Committee to advise him on implementation of outreach and assistance efforts to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The advisory committee also will promote the participation of minority farmers and ranchers in USDA programs and support civil rights activities with USDA. Appointment of the committee is authorized under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). 

"The Obama Administration is committed to ushering in a new era of civil rights at USDA. This advisory committee will provide guidance that will ensure that all eligible applicants for our programs are served in an equal and fair manner and will enable USDA to enhance opportunities for minority farmers and ranchers," said Vilsack. 

Members of the committee are appointed for two year terms by the Secretary. The nominees include socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers; representatives of nonprofit organizations that work with minority farmers and ranchers; civil rights professionals; representatives from institutions of higher learning; and other persons the Secretary deems appropriate. 

The following individuals are appointed to the Advisory Committee: 

Robert Anderson, Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, Earlsboro, Okla. 

Donna Brew, Farmer/Rancher, Gooding, Idaho 

Ben Burkett, Farmer/Rancher, Petal, Miss. 

William Buster, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Kalamazoo, Mich. 

Jeannie Crittendon, Farmer, Jackson, Mich. 

Archie Hart, Farmer, Knight Dale, N.C. 

Paula Garcia, New Mexico Acequia Association, Mora, N.M. 

Omar Garza, U.S. Mexico Border Coalition, St. Elena, Texas 

Dr. Dewayne Goldman, Black Growers Council, Pine Bluff, Ark. 

William Hudson, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, Fla. 

Richard Molinar, University of California, Reedley, Calif. 

Brian Thomas, Farmer/Rancher, Owyhee, Nev. 

Baldemar Velasquez, Farm Labor Organizing Committee, Toledo, Ohio 

Randall Ware, Farmer/ Rancher, Fort Cobb, Okla. 

John Zippert, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Eutaw, Ala. 

The Secretary has moved aggressively to improve the civil rights process at USDA and the Department's outreach efforts to socially disadvantaged producers during the last two years. On his first day in office, he hosted a live webcast with employees and communicated his commitment to improving the Department's record on civil rights. Last year, USDA worked with the Department of Justice to enter into a settlement with black farmers known as Pigford II. USDA and the Department of Justice also announced the settlement of a class action lawsuit filed against USDA by Native American farmers (Keepseagle) alleging discrimination by USDA. The settlement, which must receive final approval by a Federal court, ends litigation concerning discrimination complaints from Native Americans generally covering the period 1981-1999. In addition, on February 25, 2011, Vilsack and the Department of Justice announced the establishment of a process to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans. 

Under Secretary Vilsack's leadership, USDA is addressing civil rights concerns that go back decades, and today's announcement of the appointment of an advisory committee is another step towards acheiving that goal.


STORY TAGS: USDA

Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News