USDA takes swift action on ambitious Equity Commission road map to reform
Many U.S. farmers have met roadblocks in trying to secure assistance from the government, and for decades the USDA has faced criticism from Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and other minority farmers citing accounts of discrimination in lending practices and program administration.
To reform these systemic inequities and respond to criticism, the Biden administration in early 2022 launched the USDA-focused Equity Commission, co-chaired by farm labor advocate and United Farm Workers President Emeritus Arturo S. Rodriguez, alongside departing Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jewel Bronaugh.
“The goal was to bring serious people to the commission — people who had life experiences, who understood and appreciated how the USDA may have fallen short in the past,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a press briefing on Feb. 28. “Folks who have dedicated their professional life [to] studying and understanding the intricacies of issues surrounding equity and folks who had a deep and abiding concern for all the people of this great country.”
The commission delved into a deep review of the department’s issues, challenges and gaps, holding four public meetings and soliciting stakeholder input on programs and practices.
In late February 2023, the commission sent its recommendations to the USDA in a comprehensive report.
“I think it's fair to say that they met and exceeded expectations. They have put together a very serious report with specific recommendations, some of which can be done relatively soon. Some that can be done relatively easily, but many that will require time and many that will require effort,” Vilsack said in the briefing. “They dug deep. They looked at systemic issues and they raised issues that had not been raised before.”
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The 2023 Interim Report from the Equity Commission outlines a list of recommendations for the “ways USDA’s headquarters operations, field offices across the country, and its various program areas can make changes to better serve the unique needs of the department’s many and diverse stakeholders.”
The USDA has taken steps in response to the recommendations. First, the department appointed L’Tonya Davis as its first permanent chief diversity and inclusion officer.
Additionally, the USDA has just launched a program with $2.2 billion in 2023 funding to give farm assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners that have experienced discrimination.
Equity Commission Interim Report recommendations
“The Equity Commission’s recommendations address issues that are not new to USDA, but they do require a renewed commitment to improve access to programs and services for all stakeholders and communities, inclusive of people of color, farm workers, women, Tribal and Indigenous communities, individuals with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, rural communities, and LGBTQI+ communities,” Rodriguez, the commission co-chair, said in a news release.
In the 37-page report, the commission's top priorities for the USDA boil down to expanding access, removing barriers and making committees more representative and accountable.
“It's not just about improving this department for particular groups of people, it's about creating a model department that sends a very strong message about the importance of inclusion, the importance of equity, the importance of diversity, the understanding that this is how you get one step closer to what our Constitution requires of us,” Vilsack said in the briefing. “We have a long way to go to become a perfect USDA, but you provided us a road map for how to get there [and] how to take a step closer to realizing our fullest potential.”
Top recommendations in the Equity Commission Interim Report include:
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Offering new sources of capital to owners with inherited property and fractionated or split land.
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Introducing steps to prevent the creation of segmented types of property to reduce additional barriers to USDA programs.
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Making USDA’s county committees — an important mechanism for connecting USDA’s programs with farm communities — more equitable, representative, accountable and transparent.
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Improving language access to USDA programs and services for linguistically and culturally diverse communities.
A final version of the report, which will include additional recommendations from the Rural Community Economic Development Subcommittee, is slated to release in late 2023.
Authorized and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Equity Commission is an important component of the department’s and President Joe Biden’s vision to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government.
“The USDA is committed to turning the tide and ensuring those who seek access to land, capital, markets, nutrition assistance and agriculture education and experience can do so, regardless of their background. We’re confident the work of the Equity Commission will bolster our efforts to realize lasting change at USDA and are grateful to the members for taking on this work,” Vilsack said in a news release.
Assistance for farmers who have experienced discrimination
In response to the commission’s recommendations to end and repair historic discrimination practices, the USDA confirmed a 2023 program to offer financial assistance to farmers, ranchers or forest landowners who have previously suffered discrimination from the USDA’s farm lending programs.
The department set a target for distributing the $2.2 billion in appropriated funds, which were authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, to borrowers by the end of 2023.
“These funds are yet another stepping stone in the long march towards justice and an inclusive, equitable USDA. Through this program and a neutral, comprehensive financial assistance process, USDA will acknowledge wrongs of the past and open avenues that provide farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who have experienced discrimination by USDA the opportunity to be heard,” Vilsack said in a release.
“As we work to make all our programs more equitable, accessible and accountable, we are applying these same principles to make sure all Americans know how to engage with USDA’s services so we can prevent more inequities and build new levels of trust with the People’s Department going forward," he said.
Appointing L’Tonya Davis as the USDA’s chief diversity and inclusion officer
Further bolstering the USDA’s equity strides, the farm agency recently announced the appointment of L’Tonya Davis as its first permanent chief diversity and inclusion officer. Davis will lead the USDA's efforts to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across the department, and overseeing the implementation of the USDA’s first-ever DEIA Strategic Plan, according to a news release.
“As part of our commitment to provide equitable services and mission delivery to all, USDA is also focused on its greatest asset — its people. USDA is working to provide equitable service and mission delivery to all, including the dedicated employees who are at the heart of the service we aim to provide. Our workforce will benefit from Ms. Davis’s leadership and her commitment to ensuring our programs benefit every American,” Vilsack said in a news release.
Davis joins USDA after serving at the Food and Drug Administration, where she was most recently the director of communications and project management in the regulatory affairs office. Davis led the office's strategic communications, public affairs, project management, and executive secretariat activities. She also served for 10 years as its official executive DEIA champion, where she established the office’s Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) infrastructure strategic goals.
“Ms. Davis will join a team of talented, hard-working USDA employees whose work touches the lives of every American, every day,” Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh said in the release.
With Davis’ track record of management and adept leadership, she will steer the USDA to become an organization that centers employees, values, and dedication, Bronaugh added. Davis will also address persistent challenges and barriers and create a culture where everyone feels welcomed, she said.
More information about this work can be accessed at usda.gov/equity, where USDA will continue to share updates on its progress.